Italian regions ‘may have sent incomplete virus figures’
Data being re-evaluated to see if areas need to be placed under tougher coronavirus restrictions
ITALY is investigating whether five regions may have under-reported local health statistics around the management of Covid-19 ahead of the imposition of stringent lockdown measures.
Figures submitted from five regions in the least-restrictive “yellow” areas of Italy’s three-tiered risk system – Liguria, Basilicata, Campania, Abruzzo and Veneto – are being re-evaluated, the Italian daily Repubblica reported yesterday, after National Health Institute officials flagged them for sending incomplete data ahead of the health ministry’s calculation of risk areas.
Health ministry committees were meeting yesterday to analyse revised numbers and determine if any additional regions should be under tighter restrictions.
Specifically, investigators are examining how Campania rapidly tripled its intensive care unit (ICU) capacity by transforming normal hospital beds into ICU beds, and why Liguria registered a decline in hospital admissions despite rising deaths and overwhelmed emergency rooms. “The problem is clear. Some regions are reporting their data late and poorly,” said Walter Ricciardi, the World Health Organisation’s Italian government adviser.
The coronavirus pandemic’s second wave arrived late to Italy but is now putting the health system under critical strain in at least 10 regions. A record 39,811 new infections were registered on Saturday, as well as 424 deaths.
The latest emergency decree went into effect on Friday, establishing a nationwide 10pm curfew and dividing the country into three colour-coded risk areas with varying levels of closures. Regional tensions have emerged, with governors and mayors questioning how the classifications are calculated and claiming the approach stops them managing the crisis locally.
The wealthy northern cities of Milan and Turin were among those closed down on Friday when four regions – Lombardy, Piedmont, Valle d’aosta and Calabria – were declared red zones. This puts them under stringent restrictions for the next 15 days, including the closure of non-essential stores, takeaway only for bars and restaurants, distanced learning for students over 12 and a ban on leaving home towns except for work, health or other serious reasons.
Sicily and Apulia were declared orange zones, with some restrictions, while the rest of the country were in
‘Some regions are reporting their data late and poorly’
yellow zones, with the requirement that bars and restaurants close at 6pm.
In yellow zones, such as EmiliaRomagna, Veneto and Liguria, families took advantage of sunny weekend weather to have lunch at the seaside, while their northern neighbours were banned from leaving home.
Naples was declared “yellow” despite obvious hospital strain, prompting suggestions that data reporting anomalies had skewed the risk algorithm. Several governors of regions under review have defended their reporting and accused the government of incompetence.
In the southern region of Calabria, errors by two consecutive health commissioners further embarrassed the government over the weekend.
Saverio Cotticelli, acting health commissioner, was asked to step down on Saturday after saying that he was unaware that managing the region’s Covid19 plan was part of his remit.
A new health c ommissioner, Giuseppe Zuccatelli, was nominated, only to have a video emerge of him saying masks did not work. He announced yesterday that he was isolating after testing positive for Covid-19.