Italy COVID-19 outbreak tops 200 cases, 5 deaths

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews

In a follow-up on the COVID-19 situation in Italy, the Ministry of Health reports 219 people are infected with the new SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus in Italy. Of these 5 people have died and one person has recovered.

These are the official figures communicated today at the noon conference by the Commissioner for the emergency of civil protection, Angelo Borrelli.

Of the 213 people under observation and treatment, 99 are hospitalized with symptoms, 23 are in intensive care and 91 are in home isolation.

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In the individual Regions the number of infected people is as follows:

Lombardy Region: 167

Veneto Region: 27

Emilia Romagna Region: 18

Piedmont Region: 4

Lazio: 3 (the 2 Chinese tourists and the resigned researcher)

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The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) released a statement Sunday concerning the situation in Italy:

As the situation is rapidly evolving, more cases are expected in Italy, and possibly in the EU, in the coming days.

According to the Istituto Superiore di Sanita (ISS), suspected cases of COVID-19 are first tested in the reference labs of the region and province. Those that test positive are retested in the ISS, and only those validated there are reported as confirmed cases.

The Italian authorities are identifying all contacts of the confirmed cases and have announced public health measures for containment, including suspension of mass gatherings, suspension of childcare and schools, and access to essential public services conditioned to the use of personal protective equipment.

These extraordinary measures in northern Italy are essential to limit the outbreak and may need to be replicated in other communities in the coming days.