Italy hit with 62% rise to 8,942 single-week COVID infections, 40 deaths for July 11-17

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

 

 

Because of the foreign language news reporting issues, there doesn't appear to be a single comprehensive news article in English that spells all this out regarding Italy, which has a population of about 59 million, and thus is somewhat smaller in population than both Thailand and the U.K.... So let me try to piece things together with various sources, as follows:

 

9,000 new infections over past week

19 July 2024

...

 

https://www.ansa.it/english/news/general_news/2024/07/19/covid-19-cases-slightly-up-the-frail-must-be-protected-vaia_b76301d3-aaa8-4df5-b212-6d57eef1e147.html

 

Covid Italy, 9 thousand infections in 1 week:

Campania, Lazio and Lombardy with more cases

This is 62% more than the previous 7 days. Vaia: "Situation under control"

July 19, 2024

 

"There were almost 9 thousand (8,942) Covid infections recorded in Italy in the week between 11 and 17 July, 62% more than in the previous 7 days when there were 5,503 cases. There were 40 deaths, compared to 33 the previous week (21% more). This is what the updated bulletin of the Ministry of Health reports on the progress of Covid in the country.

The regions with the most infections

There are 3 regions that exceed the thousand registered infections : Lombardy remains in the lead with 1,761 cases, followed by Lazio with 1,627 positives and Campania with 1,483.

 

The [testing] positivity rate at a national level is equal to 11.2% - calculated on a total of 79,967 swabs performed (there were 76,532 last week) - and rises by 4 percentage points compared to that of the previous 7 days (7.2%) .

 

(more)

 

https://www-adnkronos-com.translate.goog/cronaca/covid-oggi-italia-contagi-crescita-regioni-piu-casi_5eovDM4tc2292FbRPCdDDY?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en?refresh_ce

 

 

The above news report is borne out by the Google Translate English translation of the Italian Ministry of Health's latest weekly COVID report for July 11-17, as follows:

 

 

https://www.salute.gov.it/imgs/C_17_bollettini_98_fileBollettino.pdf

 

 

This news report below from earlier in July adds some background on how Italy's officially recorded COVID infections have grown recently from levels that until recently were in the 2,505 to 3,855 range, based on the government's weekly reporting:

 

Covid Resurgence in Italy: New KP3 Subvariant Drives Summer Case Spike

updated: 11 July

 

"Covid has resurfaced in Italy, causing a growing number of cases that are nearing the summer peak. The KP3 subvariant appears to be responsible for this new mini-wave.

...

The Peak of Cases

According to the latest weekly bulletin published on the Ministry of Health website, from June 27 to July 3, there were 3,855 new positive cases, up from 2,505 from June 20-26. Deaths decreased from 21 to 18. [emphasis added] The number of tests increased from 79,339 to 81,900 and the positivity rate rose from 3.2% to 4.7%. “With the arrival of autumn and then winter, when the virus will be more prevalent - suggests the infectious disease specialist - it is important to prepare a good vaccination campaign.”

...

The Predominant Variant

Contracting this variant is like having a very severe cold, with fever lasting four to five days. It is a VOI (variant of interest) due to mutations in the Spike protein that the virus uses to enter cells. This means that this variant can lead to serious complications (respiratory difficulties) as it can more easily evade immune defenses, penetrate cells, and replicate faster than other variants. The continuous and rapid growth observed in various countries could confirm this tendency of JN.1 to be more transmissible and more effective in evading the host's immune system.

 

https://www.ilmessaggero.it/en/covid_resurgence_in_italy_new_kp3_subvariant_drives_summer_case_spike-8230689.html#

 

 

 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

A separate report from the Adnkronos news agency provided a bit more detail in terms of current COVID hospitalizations, rising for the week to 1,183 COVID cases hospitalized and 43 in ICU, but mostly involving the elderly:

 

Covid, last week's data: incidence growing, Rt above epidemic threshold

July 19, 2024

 

...

"Quiet situation on the hospitalization front . "On 17 July - the monitoring reports - the occupancy of beds in the medical area was 1.9% (1,183 hospitalised), substantially stable compared to the previous week (1.6% on 10 July). The occupancy of beds in intensive care, equal to 0.5% (43 hospitalized), compared to the previous week (0.5% on 10 July)".

 

The incidence is increasing in most age groups, with the highest rate in the 80-89 and over 90 age groups, which still emerges from monitoring. The median age at diagnosis is 61 years, a slight decrease compared to the previous week. The rate of reinfections is around 49%, slightly increasing.

 

The highest hospitalization rates (both in the medical area and in intensive care), as well as the highest mortality rates, concern those aged 80-89 and those aged over 90."

 

https://www-adnkronos-com.translate.goog/salute/covid-italia-oggi-dati-bollettino-19-luglio-2024_3NhwQQZ4vWd679PxEn1rNM?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en?refresh_ce