" We have isolated the virus, " said Health Minister Roberto Speranza during a press conference with Spallanzani . "Having isolated the virus means many opportunities to be able to study it, understand and better verify what can be done to stop the spread. It will be made available to the whole international community. Now it will be easier to treat it".
"Now the data will be available to the international community. Spaces for new diagnostic tests and vaccines are opening up. Italy becomes the reference partner for this research," said the scientific director of the Spallanzani Institute Giuspeppe Ippolito during a press conference .
" Italy among the first countries in the world to have isolated coronavirus . A very important news for the development of treatments. A big applause to researchers and medical staff from Spallanzani . Proud of our National Health Service, among the best in the world". The premier Giuseppe Conte writes it on social channels.
Italy among the first countries in the world to have isolated the #coronavirus. A very important news for the development of treatments. A big applause to researchers and Spallanzani medical staff. Proud of our National Health Service, among the best in the world
- Giuseppe Conte (@GiuseppeConteIT) February 2, 2020In fair conditions the couple hospitalized at Spallanzani . "With regard to the Chinese Coronavirus positive couple, currently hospitalized, their conditions are continuously monitored: the two while maintaining discrete conditions both have viral pneumonia with bilateral interstitial alveolus involvement", so Spallanzani in the daily bulletin released today. There are currently 23 patients from areas of China affected by the epidemic: they have all been tested for Coronavirus, which is ongoing. Another 13 patients, he added in the bulletin, were isolated and discharged after the negative test result.
Meanwhile, the Italians blocked in Wuhan , due to the quarantine decided to contain the epidemic of the new coronavirus, were transported by bus to the city's international airport, pending the arrival of the plane deployed by the Crisis Unit of the Farnesina who will repatriate them. According to reports from some compatriots, transport well in advance is due to the bureaucratic procedures to be done, including a first check to check the state of health.
Returns from Monday, health checks also in ports, suspension of visas, termoscanner at airports to extend medical checks to all passengers arriving from China not with direct flights but passing through other airports, less restrictions on goods and no closure of borders. The government's plan to contain the risk of contagion and prevent the spread of coronavirus takes shape: a series of measures developed in the Civil Protection Operational Committee by the extraordinary Commissioner Angelo Borrelli and which will come into force in the next few hours, as soon as the technical details have been defined and operational.
THE POINT ON THE CONTACTS AND THE BALANCE OF THE VICTIMS
REPATRIATION FROM AND TO CHINA - It starts on Monday 3 February, with 5 Air China flights that will arrive in Italy to bring home the Chinese tourists who were stuck after the connections stopped. But planes, at least this is Borrelli's idea, should not arrive empty: the goal is to start bringing back the first Italians who want to leave China with these flights. Management is in the hands of the Farnesina and ENAC, appointed as implementing bodies. But how many Chinese and Italians have to return to their respective countries? According to initial estimates, slightly more than 3 thousand Chinese should leave Italy while it is still unclear how many Italians there are. Borrelli himself confirms this. "We do not yet have a definitive number, it is an indication on which the Foreign Ministry and ENAC are working and which must reach us from the Farnesina, with which the thread is constant and continuous". The only certain thing, confirms Borrelli, is that "without prejudice to the concept of maximum precaution, anyone who wants to return must be put in a position to do so".
TERMOSCANNER IN AIRPORTS, CONTROLS FOR ALL - However, airports remain the places at greatest risk for the spread of the virus. And for this reason it was decided at the meeting that the health procedures already in force will be extended to all flights from China via intermediate stopovers. But not only. Since it is a matter of controlling thousands of people, explains the Commissioner, "we are imagining further measures. We will organize at the airports areas equipped with a thermoscanner where all incoming and outgoing passengers will have to pass. The tool will allow us to identify who has the temperature out of the norm ".
ALSO TIGHT ON THE PORTS - The checks will also start in the ports. The procedure of 'free medical practice' provided for non-EU vessels will be extended to all ships in transit in Italian ports, both merchant and cruise ports. In essence, doctors will be able to board the ships to carry out analyzes and examinations both if suspicious cases are reported on board and acting autonomously, at the disposal of the local health authorities.
FRONTIERS OPEN AND YES TO GOODS CIRCULATION - Borrelli has assured that borders will not be closed "We are working to understand how to strengthen the controls on trains and cars arriving in the country, but today there are no such conditions in Europe and in Italy, that could suggest a closure of the borders. It would be a truly absurd measure ". The other 'opening' that emerged during the meeting is that of the movement of goods. "At the moment everything is at a standstill but it is too restrictive" admits the head of the Civil Protection underlining that it is necessary to reopen the connections especially with regard to medical medical material, such as for example the test tubes for analyzes that must arrive in Italy from China.
VISA STOP - The visa block will instead start. Undersecretary for Tourism Lorenza Bonaccorsi said that the concession in China had been suspended by authorized agencies. Those of the consulates will be given but only "for family reasons or in cases of full and clear urgency".
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