Rome: Italy’s Covid-19 reproduction number (RT) is on the rise, while hospitalisations have also spiked amid a fresh resurgence, according to government data.
The assessment came with the latest monitoring survey carried out by the country’s National Health Institute (ISS) in the first half of June, reports Xinhua news agency.
Their report showed the average RT grew to 1.07 between June 1-14, above the pandemic threshold (RT 1), and up from 0.83 registered in the previous monitoring report related to the period from May 25 to June 7.
This was the first time the RT exceeded the value of 1 in over two and a half months, according to the institute.
The RT at 1 or above is an indication that the virus is spreading, meaning that one infectious individual would averagely transmit the infection to more than one other person.
The average bed occupancy registered on June 23 was 2.2 per cent in intensive care units and 7.9 per cent in normal Covid wards, against 1.9 per cent and 6.7 per cent on June 16, respectively.
These occupancy rates were still “well below the critical threshold”, Health Ministry Prevention Director Gianni Rezza said on Friday, and were not expected to put the public health system under pressure in the short term.
The ISS report also showed the incidence rose to 504 Covid cases per 100,000 inhabitants in the period between June 17-23 against 310 per 100,000 inhabitants registered in the previous week.
Some 12 Italian regions were classified as being “at moderate risk” (of pandemic growth) and another nine “at high risk”.
Despite the growing statistics, Italy’s health officials have no plan to introduce new restrictions, which are currently at the lowest level.
The Health Ministry registered 55,829 new coronavirus cases over the last 24 hours, and 51 fatalities.
Some 90.1 per cent of Italy’s population over the age of 12 have completed their inoculation.
(IANS)
