In the last week, the increase in coronavirus cases noted in the last monitoring has been confirmed, after three months in which there had been a marked decline. The growth was significant: new infections were 10,135, 74.5 percent more than in the previous seven days. This increase does not correspond to a worsening in the number of hospitalizations and deaths, which are still quite low. It is now clear that the trend of hospitalizations and deaths follows the contagion curve with a delay of about fifteen days, so it will be very important to monitor these two indicators in the coming weeks.
The studies and data collected have shown that coronavirus vaccines are effective against severe forms of COVID-19, especially if the vaccination cycle is completed: an evidence that was confirmed in the latest surveillance bulletin published by the Higher Institute. of health, which compared the new cases detected among the vaccinated population and those among those who have not yet been vaccinated.
The results are encouraging and confirm that the vaccine is 80% effective in protecting against infection. For ICU admissions, the efficacy is 100% in the two younger groups (i.e. there was no ICU admission in the vaccinated in the period considered), and slightly drops to 96.9% in people over 80. years. As for deaths, the effectiveness is 100% in the two younger groups, while it drops to 98.7% in that 60-79 (two deaths among vaccinated against 78 of unvaccinated) and 97.2% in people over 80 (15 deaths in vaccinated and 62 in unvaccinated).
These results demonstrate how important it is not only to get vaccinated, but to complete the vaccination cycle by receiving both doses, especially after the spread of the more contagious delta variant found in many Italian regions.
In recent days, questions have been raised about the possible consequences of risky behaviors during the matches of the European football championships won by the Italian national team. Sergio Abrignani, immunologist and member of the scientific technical committee, said the effects of the celebrations could be seen between the end of the week and the beginning of the next. «We hope, however, that it was like in Naples and Milan when there were similar celebrations and there was not what we feared, even if there was still no delta variant at the time. Let’s hope it’s the same this time, even if we’re afraid, ”he said.
There have been 113 deaths from COVID-19 in the past week, 25.7 percent fewer than the previous seven days. It is a rather low number, but still not indicative of the new growth in infections recorded in the last two weeks. If this indicator remains stable, it will be further confirmation of the efficacy of vaccines already demonstrated by the first data from the Higher Institute of Health.
The number of swabs performed was stable compared to the last few weeks: 1.2 million were made, as in the previous seven days. The number of people tested for the first time was also similar compared to the last survey: 297 thousand.
As can be seen in this graph, in the last few days the positivity rate of molecular swabs has increased: this data is useful for understanding the ability to identify and track cases. There is no real alert threshold, even if according to WHO indications the epidemic is kept under control with a positivity rate below 5 percent. The rate is currently below the threshold for both molecular buffers and rapid antigenic agents.
No region has exceeded the threshold of 50 weekly cases per 100 thousand inhabitants, but in recent days many regions have had a significant increase in the incidence. The region with the highest weekly incidence was Sicily, where 29 cases per 100,000 inhabitants were found. In Sardinia, 28 cases per 100 thousand inhabitants were found, while the highest percentage variation was in Molise, but due to a comparison between low values.
In the last seven days, the provinces that have exceeded the threshold of 50 cases per week per 100 thousand inhabitants have been Caltanissetta, Enna and Ragusa in Sicily, Cagliari in Sardinia, Lodi in Lombardy and Verona in Veneto. The increase in incidence in these regions is mainly linked to the discovery of some outbreaks. In Sicily, for example, three municipalities have been included in the red zone: Riesi and Mazzarino, in the province of Caltanissetta, and Piazza Armerina, in the province of Enna. In the province of Lodi, however, an outbreak emerged with 36 infected in Codogno, one of the municipalities where cases were found during the so-called first wave of the epidemic.
The percentage of ICU beds occupied by COVID-19 patients out of the total available places has been stable since the last monitoring. In Basilicata, Molise, Valle d’Aosta and in the autonomous province of Trento there are no hospitalized in intensive care for COVID-19. In all other regions, the employment rate is very low: no region exceeds 5 per cent.
There has been a slight increase in new ICU admissions: 46 people have been hospitalized, up from 40 in the previous seven days.
At the moment in Italy 35.3 million people have received at least the first dose of the coronavirus vaccine, and of these 25.2 million are fully vaccinated: among them 1.2 million have received the single-dose vaccine from Johnson & Johnson and 780 thousand only one dose was given as you have already been infected in the last six months. 59.7 percent of the population therefore received at least one dose and 42.7 percent completed the vaccination course.
In the last few days, the trend of administrations has been confirmed above the threshold of 500 thousand per day, thanks above all to the second doses already programmed: the administration of the first doses instead has undergone a considerable decline, as can also be seen from this graph which shows the trend of the first doses by age group.
The map shows the percentage of people vaccinated in Italy: within each region is the percentage of people who have received at least one dose, while the color indicates the percentage of people who have completed the vaccination cycle.
In this graph we can observe the trend of the administrations in the various states of the world.