11 Omicron cases discovered so far in Italy

There have so far been 11 Omicron cases in Italy but others are suspected, Higher Health Institute (ISS) chief Silvio Brusaferro said.

The regions where the cases of the more infectious new variant have been found are Calabria, Campania, Sardinia, and Veneto, plus the autonomous province of Bolzano, he said.

They regard people who have been to South Africa or their close contacts, Brusaferro said.

There have been 15,756 new cases of COVID-19 in Italy in the last 24 hours, and 99 more victims of the virus, the health ministry said Tuesday.

That compares with 9,503 new cases and 92 more victims Monday.

Some 695,136 more tests have been done, compared to 301,560 Monday.
The positivity rate is down from 3.1% to 2.27%.

Intensive care cases are up 33 to 776 and hospital admissions up 199 to 6,078.
The currently positive are 240,894, up 5,058 on Monday.

The recovered and discharged are 4,759,038, up 10,584 on Monday.

The case tally since the start of the pandemic is 5,134,318, and the death toll 134,386.

Photo – A person wearing a protective face mask walks at Quartieri Spagnoli, Naples, Italy EPA-EFE/CESARE ABBATE

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