COVID-19: Incidence down, Rt transmission number up

(ANSA) - ROME, JAN 13 - Italy's COVID-19 incidence fell to 143 cases for every 100,000 inhabitants in the January 1-12 period, down from 231 cases the previous week, the weekly coronavirus monitoring report of the health ministry and the Higher Health Institute (ISS) said on Friday.
    The Rt transmission number for the December 21-January 3 period was 0.91, down from 0.83 in last week's report.
    This remains under the key threshold of 1 - the Rt indicates the virus is in a phase of expansion when it is above 1.
    The report said 3.1% of Italy's intensive-care beds were occupied by coronavirus sufferers on January 12, down from 3.2% seven days previously.
    It said the proportion of ordinary-ward hospital places taken up by COVID sufferers dropped to 10.1% from 12.1% in a week.
    The report said none of Italy's regions or autonomous provinces were high risk for COVID-19, while seven were moderate risk - Basilicata, Emilia Romagna, the Province of Trento, Puglia, Sardinia, Sicily and Umbria - while the other 14 were low risk.
    (ANSA).