Italy's COVID-19 incidence soars

(ANSA) - ROME, JUL 8 - Italy's COVID-19 incidence soared to 1,071 cases for every 100,000 inhabitants in the July 1-7 period, according to the latest weekly coronavirus monitoring report of the health ministry and the Higher Health Institute (ISS), up from an incidence of 763 in last week's report.
    This Friday's report said that Italy's COVID-19 Rt transmission number has risen significantly too, climbing to 1.40 in the June 15-28 period, up from 1.30 in last week's report.
    An Rt number over 1 indicates that the epidemic is in a phase of expansion.
    The report said 11 Italian regions had an incidence above 1,000 - Campania (1482.5), Puglia (1320.5), Abruzzo (1291.6), Umbria (1275.8), Lazio (1250.9), Veneto (1184.8), Sicily (1147.5), Marche (1133.2), Sardinia (1125.5), Basilicata (1101.5) and Emilia Romagna (1045.9).
    It said no Italy region could be considered low risk for COVID.
    The report said that the proportion of Italy's intensive-care places occupied by COVID-19 sufferers rose to 3.5% on July 7 from 2.6% on June 30.
    The proportion of ordinary hospital beds taken up by coronavirus patients, meanwhile, climbed from 10.3% to 13.3%, it said.
    (ANSA).