The Ministry’s first alarm goes off
Thursday 07 July 2022
In addition to the incidence, the occupancy rates of beds in the medical area (9.2%, with a relative increase in the number of hospitalized patients by 22%) and in intensive care (2.5%, with a relative increase in the number) of hospitalized by 13.6%). Hence the request contained in a circular, to prepare to face an increase in the demand for health care “both at the hospital and territorial level, guaranteeing the adequate expansion of the beds in the Medical and Intensive Care Areas dedicated to Covid”.
With a circular issued today, the Ministry of Health has in fact invited the Regions to immediately activate “the organizational measures necessary to face in the coming weeks an increase in the demand for health care both at hospital and territorial level, guaranteeing the adequate expansion of beds. of Medical and Intensive Care Areas dedicated to Covid, to be modulated according to contingent needs, and the correct and timely care of patients suffering from Sars-CoV-2 disease in relation to specific care needs, with particular reference to the categories more fragile “.
The decision comes after the finding that, according to the circular, “despite the summer period, an epidemic phase is confirmed on the national territory characterized by a strong increase in the incidence, which has been growing steadily for 4 weeks and has reached 586 cases / 100,000 inhabitants. The occupancy rates of beds in the medical area also increased (9.2%, with a relative increase in the number of hospitalized patients by 22%) and in intensive care (2.5%, with a relative increase in the number of hospitalized patients by 13.6 %) “.
In short, the situation is worsening and the ministry recalls that there are eight Regions (Emilia-Romagna, Lazio, Liguria, Marche, Puglia, Tuscany, Umbria, Veneto) classified at “high risk of an uncontrolled epidemic that cannot be managed due to the presence of multiple resilience alerts “.
Among these, three Regions (Emilia-Romagna, Puglia, Veneto) have a transmissibility compatible with a type 3 scenario and five Regions (Lazio, Liguria, Marche, Tuscany, Umbria) have a transmissibility compatible with a type 2 scenario
Two Regions (Umbria and Marche) are indicated, for the second consecutive week, with a high probability of progression for a probability greater than 50% of exceeding the alert threshold pursuant to the Health Ministerial Decree of 30 April 2020 in the employment rate in the medical area in ‘next month, if the current transmissibility is maintained.
The remaining 13 Regions / PAs are classified as at “Moderate” risk (Abruzzo, Basilicata, Calabria, Campania, FVG, Lombardy, Molise, Piedmont, Bolzano / Bozen PA, Trento, Sardinia, Sicily, V.d’Aosta / V .d’Aoste) due to an increasing trend in cases.
Among these, five Regions / PA (Campania, FVG, Lombardy, Piedmont, PA Trento) have a transmissibility compatible with a type 3 scenario, four Regions (Abruzzo, PA Bolzano / Bozen, Sardinia, Sicily) have a transmissibility compatible with one type 2 scenario, all the other Regions / PAs at moderate risk have a transmissibility compatible with a type 1 scenario.
Three Regions (Calabria, FVG, Sicily) are indicated with a high probability of progression for a probability greater than 50% of exceeding the alert threshold pursuant to the Health Ministerial Decree of 30 April 2020 in the employment rate in the medical area over the next month , if the current transmissibility is maintained.
“In this phase – reads the report of the control room attached to the ministerial circular – the need to continue to adopt the individual and collective behavioral measures provided / recommended, the use of the mask, ventilation of the premises, hand hygiene and paying attention to gathering situations “.
“The high vaccination coverage, the completion of vaccination cycles and the maintenance of a high immune response through the booster dose, with particular regard to the categories indicated by the ministerial provisions, are necessary tools to mitigate the clinical impact of the epidemic” , the control room reiterates.