In Italy , Covid cases are rising again . The numbers , as reported by the latest monitoring by the Gimbe Foundation , show that in the last three weeks weekly infections have almost doubled (+94.3%), while hospitalizations in the medical area are growing (+58.1%). The deaths recorded in a month reach 881, almost double compared to November and all involving those over 80.

After about a month of stability for new weekly cases, the progressive recovery of viral circulation has been evident for about 21 days. In fact, from the week of 2-8 November to 23-29 November, the number of new weekly cases increased from 26,855 to 52,175 (+94.3%), the positivity rate of swabs from 13.6% to 18.8%, the weekly incidence from 46 cases per 100 thousand inhabitants has reached 89 cases per 100 thousand inhabitants. But - as Nino Cartabellotta, Gimbe president states - "compared to the actual viral circulation, the number of infections is largely underestimated". In the week of 23-29 November the incidence of new cases fluctuates from 1 case per 100 thousand inhabitants in Sicily to 183 in Veneto. Compared to the previous week, new cases increased in 15 Regions: from +3.7% in Veneto to +43.4% in Sardinia . The remaining 6 Regions are decreasing.

According to what was found by the Foundation, at this moment all the circulating variants belong to the Omicron family . In Italy the EG.5 (so-called Eris) variant is now prevalent (52.1%) and, similarly to what has been reported by other countries, an increase (from 1.3% to 10.8%) of the variant BA.2.86 (so-called Pirola). As President Gimbe explains, «according to the WHO reports relating to the risk profiles of the two variants, Eris and Pirola have a moderate ability to evade the natural immune response, from vaccination or infection, which favors their rapid spread. For neither variant is there evidence of a greater risk of serious disease." And the incidence of the virus increases depending on the age of the population: from 16 cases per 100 thousand inhabitants in the 10-19 year age group to 177 per 100 thousand inhabitants in the 80-89 year age group, up to 221 per 100 thousand inhabitants in the over 90. A distribution, explains Cartabellotta, which «reflects the greater aptitude for testing with increasing age, confirming the underestimation of viral circulation».

(Unioneonline/vf)

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