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“A patient and his partner“- this is the description of the Ministry of Health in its brief official communication – I am isolated after the doctors of the Celio military hospital in Rome sequenced the genome of the new version of Covid that, in the space of one afternoon, caused a wave panic in the middle of Europe.
The call “English variant“The isolated in the capital worries and it is not ruled out that there are other positives to the change in the Coronavirus. In fact, in the last hours a new suspicious case was brought to the attention of Spallanzani. The positive came from the UK on Sunday. Now the Inmi is working, thus activating the procedure for the isolation of the virus sequence to verify the so-called variant, as explained today by the COVID-19 Crisis Unit of the Lazio Region.
From the Spallanzani Institute they report that “mutated viruses are an occurrence that has already occurred in this pandemic. For example, immediately after the summer the predominant strain in Europe, including Italy, was a variant probably introduced from Spain ”. .
How is the patient positive for the English variant of the coronavirus?
Meanwhile, the positive patient for the “English variant”, a woman who has just returned from an English city, and her partner, also in isolation but “only” infected with Covid-19 as we know it so far, would not be in serious condition. However, according to initial information, the woman has a high viral load.
The reserve of history is maximum. According to what was learned, in any case, security measures were taken immediately with respect to the relatives and close contacts of the two: all were subjected to swabs. Passengers on their flight back to Italy were also contacted, certainly those who sat in the front two rows and the back two.
The possible new case in Rome
However, as mentioned, there is a possible new suspected case in Rome. This was stated by the Lazio Region COVID-19 Crisis Unit, which carried out an initial assessment of the controls carried out at Fiumicino airport for passengers returning from the United Kingdom: “351 passengers were tested, one of the which was confirmed positive by molecular swab. It was immediately placed in isolation and the isolation procedure of the virus sequence was started at the INMI Spallanzani in Rome to verify the so-called variant “.
“The control plan worked, in a few minutes the flows were organized and the service was excellent. Thanks to Uscar’s mobile units, the precious collaboration of Aeroporti di Roma and the USMAF. The indication has been issued to all laboratories in the Coronet Network of Lazio to get in touch with the regional reference laboratory of the Spallanzani Institute in the case of positivity to molecular swabs from UK subjects ”, explains Pisana.
The “English variant” and the increase in cases
But is there a link between the English variant of the Sars-CoV-2 coronavirus and the number of infections continuing in Italy? “At the moment we do not have data that suggest this type of correlation. However, it cannot be completely ruled out”, so “everything will have to be studied carefully by sequencing the different” viral “strains isolated in our country. But for now there is no indication on the fund ”, Franco Locatelli, president of the Superior Council of Health (Css), spoke today in ‘Buongiorno’ on SkyTg24.
The fact is that the “English variant” landed in Rome, with the news released on the day the blockade of flights from the United Kingdom was announced.
The “English variant” of the Coronavirus: what we know
What do we know about the “English variant”? It is a Sars-Cov mutation that, although it no longer appears lethal, can increase the already high number of infected. In short, more positive in a short time and, therefore, even more pressure on hospital wards and intensive care, which are already in trouble in many regions. There are currently 2,784 hospitalized in Lazio and another 306 are in the most serious wards.
The Minister of Health, Roberto Speranza, to limit infections, yesterday signed an ordinance that stops flights to and from Great Britain until January 6, “a precautionary measure to understand the magnitude of the problem,” he explained.
What could happen? What are the risks? The transmissibility of the new strain is 0.5 of Rt higher than the previous one. It means that, if it takes hold in Italy, the hypothesis of reaching the end of January with a contagion index below the 0.5 threshold would be impossible.
In any case, according to experts, the virus can be stopped with the vaccine, as explained by the president of the Higher Health Council Franco Locatelli during the Che tempo che fa program in Rai 3: “Even if there are mutations like those reported before in Gb , in other areas it is very unlikely that the efficacy of the vaccine will be lost. “
