Italy’s coronavirus trend “under control” despite surge in infections

The COVID-19 epidemic situation in Italy was “under control” despite a recent surge in new infections, according to the scientific body counseling the Italian cabinet on the emergency.

Such assessment was provided by Agostino Miozzo, coordinator of the technical-scientific committee (CTS), at a hearing before the education panel of the lower house on Thursday.

“The data registered these days were expected,” Miozzo told lawmakers.

He explained the new infections registered in recent weeks, which authorities confirmed as mainly linked to holidaymakers, resulted from “the liberty someone took of not respecting the basic preventive rules.”

“Right now, even if numbers are on the rise, our epidemiological trend is under control,” said Miozzo, who is also a member of the Civil Protection Department.

“They are relevant numbers, but our territorial (health) system is capable to manage them.”

As of Thursday, some 1,179 new coronavirus infections were registered over a 24-hour period, bringing the total of active infections to 21,932, according to the latest statistics from the Health Ministry.

Of all those actively infected, some 20,734 are currently isolated at home as they are either asymptomatic or have mild symptoms. The remaining 1,131 cases are hospitalized, with 67 in intensive care units.

With 225 new recoveries on a daily basis, the number of those recovered in the country since the pandemic broke out in February has risen to 206,554.

COVID-19 death toll grew to 35,463 after five more deaths were registered compared with Wednesday.

Some 94,024 swab tests were carried out across the country over the last 24 hours, data also showed.