Italy's COVID-19 Rt transmission number back under 1

(ANSA) - ROME, APR 22 - Italy's COVID-19 Rt transmission number has fallen back below 1 for the first time since early March, according to the weekly coronavirus monitoring report of the health ministry and the Higher Health Institute (ISS).
    The Rt for the March 23-April 5 period was 0.96, down from 1 in last week's report.
    A Rt over 1 indicates the epidemic is in a phase of expansion.
    The last time it was below this threshold was in the March 18 report referring to the February 23-March 8 period, when it was 0.94.
    The report said the incidence for the April 15-21 period was 675 cases for every 100,000 inhabitants, down from 717 in the April 8-14 period.
    It said the proportion of Italy's intensive-care places occupied by COVID sufferers was 4.2% on April 21, stable with respect to seven days previously.
    It said the proportion of ordinary-ward hospital beds taken up by coronavirus patients had risen to 15.8% on April 21 from 15.6% on April 14. (ANSA).