The number of intensive care hospitalizations has decreased for the first time in Italy since the pandemic exploded there more than a month ago, announced civil defense on Saturday.
The number of Covid-19 patients in intensive care in Italian hospitals has dropped below 4,000 (3,994 compared to 4,068 the day before).
“This is important news because it allows our hospitals to breathe. It is the first time that this figure has been falling since we managed this emergency, ”welcomed the head of civil protection Angelo Borrelli.
This drop is notably observed in Lombardy (north), the most affected region, where hospitals are overwhelmed, with 1,326 people in intensive care, fifty less than the day before.
According to the daily report, 681 people have lost their lives in the last 24 hours, a figure still impressive but down by more than 10% compared to the previous day (766).
This figure of deaths is "in constant decrease, I want to remind that (on March 27), we had reached a maximum with nearly 1000 dead, 969 to be precise", noted Angelo Borrelli.
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“It is a strong message, but one that should absolutely not be read as a sign that we have overcome the critical sentence. It shows that what has been implemented has been useful, ”congratulated the head of the Health Security Council, Franco Locatelli.
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Contagion marks for a week signs of slowdown in Italy, the country in the world most bereaved by the pandemic according to official reports.
Authorities have warned the 60 million Italians, who are in their fourth week of confinement, that measures restricting their freedoms will not be lifted immediately.
Friday, Angelo Borrelli estimated that they would still be in operation on May 1, even if he then clarified that this decision to extend the containment was the responsibility of the government.