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HEALTH

Covid-19: Italy’s contagion curve ‘under control due to restrictions’, experts say

New analysis of Italy's health data appears to show a drop in coronavirus infections, deaths and hospitalisations this week, which experts say is because of tough measures in place over Christmas.

Covid-19: Italy's contagion curve 'under control due to restrictions', experts say
People walking in the city of Trieste on January 18th. Photo: AFP
The number of new Covid-19 cases registered last week was down by 24% on the week before, according to weekly analysis by physicist Giorgio Sestili.
 
Admissions to intensive care units were down 21% and deaths dropped by 13%, according to the analysis.

 
“Finally we can see the effects of the measures put in place over Christmas,” Giorgio Sestili commented on his Facebook page.
 
Until then, he explained, “we had in fact for two consecutive weeks seen an increase in infections, after six weeks of reduction”.
 
Current health ministry data appears to confirm the downward trend in infections.
 
Graph: Worldometers. Data source: Italian Health Ministry
 
Agostino Miozzo, the coordinator of the Technical-Scientific Committee (CTS), a panel of experts advising the government on coronavirus containment measures, said on Monday that “at the moment the (contagion) curve seems under control”.
 
“Citizens have paid a heavy price, we had an unusual winter holiday period, but the results are clear,” he said.
 
 
“We haven't had the same curve that other countries have had, we don't have the number of victims that other European countries have had”.
 
 

“We had in fact for two consecutive weeks seen an increase in infections, after six weeks of reduction”.

Over the holiday period Italy enforced stricter nationwide measures including three consecutive mini lockdowns

On January 14th, with cases rising, the Italian government announced further restrictions including keeping the regional travel bans and limits on house guests, enforced over Christmas, in place.

Italy on January 14th also reintroduced its tiered system of restrictions based on the local contagion risk in each region.

MAP: Which zone is your region in under Italy's coronavirus tier system?

For further details on the current coronavirus situation in Italy, please see the Health Ministry's website (in English).

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POLITICS

Italian minister indicted for Covid-era fraud

Prosecutors on Friday charged Italy's tourism minister with fraud relating to government redundancy funds claimed by her publishing companies during the coronavirus pandemic.

Italian minister indicted for Covid-era fraud

Opposition lawmakers immediately requested the resignation of Daniela Santanche, a leading member of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s far-right Brothers of Italy party.

Santanche, 63, has strongly rejected the allegations, including in a defiant appearance in parliament last year.

“The Milan prosecutor’s office today requested the indictment of the Minister Santanche and other persons as well as the companies Visibilia Editore and Visibilia Concessionaria,” the office said in a brief statement.

They were indicted “for alleged fraud of the INPS (National Institute for Social Security) in relation to alleged irregularities in the use of the Covid 19 redundancy fund, for a total of 13 employees”.

According to media reports, Visibilia is accused of obtaining state funds intended to help companies struggling with the pandemic to temporarily lay off staff — when in fact the 13 employees continued to work.

Santanche sold her stake in Visibilia when she joined the government of Meloni, who took office in October 2022.

The investigation has been going on for months, but with the decision by prosecutors to indict, opposition parties said Santanche should resign.

“We expect the prime minister to have a minimum of respect for the institutions and ask for Daniela Santanche’s resignation,” said Elly Schlein, leader of the centre-left Democratic Party.

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