(ANSA) - BOLZANO, 22 NOV - "With the mass screening over 3,000 asymptomatic were identified who are now in their quarantine, otherwise they would have remained hidden. If we had not identified them, having a Rt of 1.5 in South Tyrol, we would have risked 95,000 infections in a little while ".
The South Tyrolean governor Arno Kompatscher said this at a press conference.
The president of the Autonomous Province urged citizens "not to let their guard down, otherwise it would be like giving up a game in the 89th minute, being ahead".
"The mass screening targeted 350,000 people.
We hoped that between 200,000 and 250,000 South Tyroleans would have accepted the invitation, while at 4 pm more than 322,000 swabs have already been carried out.
This is an extraordinary result ", said Kompatscher. In reference to the fact that only 1% was positive, the governor recalled that" mass screening in Slovakia was 1.5% ".
" Without screening we risked a lockdown well beyond Christmas, but now we can begin to reopen step by step, starting on Tuesday with elementary school ", underlined the president. (ANSA).