Italy cites more regions as ‘red zone’ after record number of cases and sharp increase in chronic deaths

Italy for the first time exceeded 40,000 cases of coronavirus in one day and recorded the highest number of deaths in eight months, and the government today decided to classify the regions of Campania, south and Tuscany as a “red zone” for the coronavirus in the center, so there are already 26 million people living in areas at high epidemiological risk.

Minister of health Roberto Speranza on Friday signed the ordinance so that Campania, whose capital is Naples, and Tuscany, whose capital is Florence, are added from Sunday to the denomination of “red zone” which already make up the regions of Lombardy, Piedmont, Calabria and Valle d’Aosta and the autonomous province of Bolzano.

In red zones, internal mobility, entry and exit of people and the opening of bars and restaurants, among other provisions, are prohibited.

On the other hand, Speranza has decided, on the basis of the analysis of 21 parameters evaluated with the Scientific Technical Committee which advises it, that the regions of Emilia-Romagna, Friuli-Venezia Giulia and Marche become “orange zone”; or medium risk, according to a ministry statement.

Six other regions (Sicily, Puglia, Umbria, Liguria, Abruzzo and Basilicata) remain in the “orange zone”, with a ban on internal movements and restrictions on business openings during the weekend.

The other five regions of the country, including Lazio, where the capital Rome is located, are listed as a “yellow zone”, or low risk, at least until this afternoon’s meeting.

As announced by the government, the division of Italy into three risk zones will be in effect at least until December 3, with the possibility of changing the status of each region every week depending on the evolution of infections.

Even today, the health ministry has also reported 40,902 cases, up from 37,978 reported yesterday and the first time it has exceeded 40,000 infections since the start of the pandemic.

In addition, authorities reported 550 victims, the highest number since early April, bringing the total to 44,139.

As the country moves forward with the restrictions, the Bank of Italy has estimated that the occupancy rate of hotels in the capital Rome has fallen by 77% in the first nine months of the year compared to the same period of 2019.

Yesterday, the government’s special commissioner for the pandemic, Domenico Arcuri, said the contagion curve was starting to “calm down” and the weekly growth rate had fallen from 102% in early October to around 10%. the week.

In this context, several large cities in the country, such as the capital Rome, Bari, Florence and Bologna, have already announced new restrictive measures ordered by local governments to further reduce the movement of people on weekends.