(ANSA) - ROME, JUL 7 - Italy registered 595,349 new COVID-19 cases in the June 29-July 5 period, an increase of 55% with respect to the previous week, the GIMBE medical foundation said in its weekly coronavirus monitoring report on Thursday.
    It said contagion was up in all of Italy's regions and that 38 provinces had an incidence of over 1,000 cases for every 100,000 inhabitants.
    "It's the third consecutive week that the number of new cases has increased by over 50%, with cases doubling every 10 days," said GIMBE President Nino Cartabellotta.
    The report said COVID-19 hospital admissions went up to 8,003 in the June 29-July 5 period from 6,035 the previous week, a rise of 32.6%.
    Intensive-care cases went up by 36.3% from 237 to 323.
    It said the number of COVID-linked deaths rose to 464 in the week in question from 392 the previous week. "There are real reasons for concern," said Cartabellotta.
    "The occupation of hospital beds (by COVID patients) is destined to increase in the coming weeks".
    Cartabellotta also called on the government to being back facemasks, which are no longer obligatory in enclosed public spaces except for on public transport.
    He said otherwise there was a risk of the country effectively going into lockdown because of the number of people positive for COVID. (ANSA).