The number of Covid 19 cases is slightly increasing, especially in asymptomatic people. Even though the RT remains around 1 (it is equal to 0.96, it fluctuates from 0.75 to 1.2). This indicates that, net of asymptomatic cases identified through screening / tracing of contacts and cases imported from abroad (categories not mutually exclusive), the number of symptomatic cases diagnosed in our country has been substantially stationary in the past weeks. This is what emerges from the Weekly report of the Regions by the Control Room (Ministry of Health, Higher Institute of Health) and relating to the week 3-9 August.
The number of new cases of infection remains limited overall, but with an increasing trend. “This also happens thanks to the research and management of contacts, including the quarantine of close contacts and the immediate isolation of secondary cases. The reduction in the time between the onset of symptoms and diagnosis / isolation is one of the reasons that allows a more timely identification and clinical assistance of people who contract the infection “.
In the week of monitoring they were identified as a whole 925 active outbreaks of which 225 new, both rising for the second consecutive week. “This implies a strong commitment of local services in contact tracing activities which is proving effective in containing local transmission of the virus as demonstrated by Rt values equal to or less than 1 in most regions and autonomous provinces”, reads .
Overall, there are 9 Regions with Rt greater than 1: “The strong commitment of local services in contact tracing activities is proving effective in containing local transmission of the virus, as demonstrated by Rt values equal to or less than 1 in most Regions / PPAA. They are therefore observed in the last 14 days, average estimates equal to or greater than 1 in nine Regions where recent outbreaks have occurred in the last 3 weeks but without causing an overload of welfare services “.
“In almost all regions, new cases of infection imported from another region and / or from abroad were diagnosed during the monitoring week. In addition to the outbreaks attributable to the re-importation of the infection, they are reported on the national territory some small transmission chains of which the origin remains unknown. This confirms how in Italy the Covid-19 epidemic is not over and how the epidemiological situation remains extremely fluid and at risk of worsening “.”
Ten regions / Ppaa reported an increase in the number of diagnosed cases compared to the previous week (ISS flow) which cannot be attributed solely to an increase in imported cases. However, it should be noted that in some of these Regions / Ppaa, although increasing, the overall number of newly diagnosed cases is low (less than 10 cases diagnosed per week or with a weekly incidence of less than 1 / 100,000).
A situation of “transition with a tendency to progressive worsening”: the document on the numbers of the Covid emergency in Italy continues. The infections contracted in the second half of July 2020 show “important warning signs for a possible increase in transmission”.
“It is essential to maintain attention and continue to strengthen contact tracing activities so as to identify all potential transmission outbreaks early and continue to control the epidemic, it reads.
Gianni Rezza, director of Prevention of the Ministry of Health, in a video message comments on the latest report on the monitoring of Covid-19 in Italy. “It is important to continue to follow the indications of the health authorities, to avoid gatherings, to behave prudently. For its part, public health can only do what it has done so far in a timely manner, that is to identify any outbreaks and contain them quickly “.
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