The Omicron variant of the SarsCoV2 virus already records 45% of the cases identified (referring to the data of December 25, ed), as noted by the physicist Roberto Battiston. The Undersecretary to Health Sileri foresees that the cases can reach 100 thousand cases per day within the first 10 days of January.
The data from the Ministry of Health show that, in the last 24 hours, the new positive cases were 30.810 against 24.883 on Christmas day. The tests that made it possible to detect them were 343.968, including molecular and rapid antigenic, against 217.052 the previous day. As a result, the positive rate dropped from 11,5% to 8,9% in one day; on the other hand, by calculating the ratio between total cases and molecular tests alone, the positivity rate is 18,7%, according to the experts of the CovidTrends website.
Deaths are also on the rise, from 81 to 142 in 24 hours. Meanwhile, the increase in hospitalizations continues with a linear growth that currently sees the number of hospitalized in ordinary wards increased by 503 units, passing from 9.220 to 9.723. The number of people admitted to intensive care increased in one day from 1.089 to 1.126.
The data of the National Agency for regional health services (Agenas), relative to December 26, writes the Ansa, indicate that in Italy 12% of the places occupied in intensive care have been reached, and that it has therefore been exceeded the critical threshold of 10%; also in the ordinary departments there was an increase of 1%, which led to reaching the critical threshold of 15%.
According to Agenas, the regions that have exceeded the critical threshold in both cases are: Calabria, Friuli Venezia Giulia, Lazio (14% intensive and 15% medical area), Liguria, Marche, autonomous provinces of Bolzano and Trento, Piedmont and Veneto. As for the daily increase in cases in the regions, the Ministry of Health indicates that Lombardy has recorded the highest number of positives in one day, with 5.065, followed by Piedmont (4.611), Emilia Romagna (3.482), Lazio (2.933), Tuscany (2.843), Veneto (2.816), Campania (2.291), Sicily (2.087).
Mini quarantine for third dose vaccinees
The estimate, as seen, is of about 2,5 million people in quarantine with the forecast up to 10 million, so Italy risks paralysis in a few days, according to the infectious disease specialist of the San Martino Hospital. of Genoa, Matteo Bassetti. Because of this the governors pitch the idea of a mini quarantine for those who have received the third dose of the vaccine. A proposal that apparently has already arrived on the government table and will be evaluated by the Scientific Technical Committee which will meet on December 29th.
According to initial information, a reduction in the period of isolation could be achieved, exclusively for close contacts, up to 3-5 days. At the moment, in fact, the quarantine for contacts of a positive is 7 days for the vaccinated and 10 for those who do not have vaccination coverage.
To date, a handshake or, for example, staying in a closed place without a mask with a person who tested positive is enough to re-enter "close contacts". Situations increasingly on the agenda, especially in Italian schools, as evidenced by the spread of the infection among the youngest.
To confirm the forecasts on the surge in cases, up to 100 per day, is also the Undersecretary of Health, Pierpaolo Sileri, who agrees with the review of the quarantine "but not immediately". "Credo - He says - which is desirable but could also be between 7-10 days, with the new year, probably before the reopening of the school ".
The scientific advisor of the ministry is skeptical, Walter ricciardi"A possible decision on the quarantine modalities is made on the basis of a precise model, that is by calculating the impact it would have on the circulation of the virus and on the National Health Service. We must behave accordingly and not on the basis of sensations".