ROME, April 25 (Xinhua) -- In another sign of encouragement, Italy reported 415 new deaths related to COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, the smallest daily increase since March 18, fresh figures showed on Saturday.
Saturday's number of new deaths was five fewer from Friday's 420, according to figures from the country's Civil Protection Department. It raised the nationwide fatalities to 26,384 since the pandemic broke out in northern Italy earlier this year.
Total active infections stood at 105,847, down by 680 cases compared to the previous day, according to the latest data. This is the sixth consecutive daily drop in the number of active infections in Italy.
Of the positive cases, 2,102 are in intensive care (down by 71 patients compared to Friday), 21,533 are hospitalized (down by 535 patients) and the rest, or 77.7 percent, are in isolation at home.
There were 2,622 more recoveries compared to Friday, bringing the nationwide total to 63,120.
The total number of confirmed cases -- combining active infections, fatalities and recoveries -- rose to 195,351, a daily increase of 2,357 against Friday.
Italy entered into a national lockdown on March 10 to contain the pandemic. The lockdown, which is expected to last until May 3, will be followed by a so-called "Phase Two," which involves "the gradual resumption of social, economic and productive activities," the Italian government has explained.
ANTIBODY TESTING TO START MAY 4
Speaking at a nationally televised press conference earlier in the day, Extraordinary Commissioner for the Coronavirus Emergency Domenico Arcuri said that winning the war against the new coronavirus will depend on individual decisions once the national lockdown ends on May 3.
"No government decree will give us a definitive victory over the virus -- that will depend solely on us and our behavior," Arcuri said.
"I strongly invite you to behave ... with determination, a spirit of sacrifice, and a sense of belonging to the national community," said the commissioner.
Arcuri said that blood testing for antibodies to the new coronavirus -- to find out what percentage, if any, of the population has unknowingly come in contact with the virus at some point -- will begin on May 4.
The serological survey is a key part of Italy's public health strategy to contain the virus during Phase Two of the emergency, when businesses will gradually reopen and isolation measures will be eased after the end of the lockdown.
"The competition for serological tests has concluded today and 72 companies participated," Arcuri said. "The winner ... is offering the test for free," he said. "So we have obtained the best offer on the existing market while at the same time without burdening state coffers."
"Starting on May 4, we will begin our survey on the first 150,000 citizens, which we have organized into a (representative) sample," Arcuri explained.
INVESTING IN FACE MASK PRODUCTION
Arcuri went on to describe the government's recent efforts to encourage domestic production of protective face masks.
"As of last night, 106 companies have received (government) approval for their investment programs, and five of these have signed a contract with us and are supplying us with face masks," Arcuri said.
The government has also contracted two Italian companies to manufacture 51 machines capable of producing "400,000 to 800,000 masks per day," said the commissioner.
The government has not only provided incentives to convert existing factories or set up new factories, "but it is also purchasing the machines needed to produce these masks (and) we will be able to produce at least 25 million of them a day," Arcuri said.
"The state ... (is) investing powerfully in men, facilities, technologies and equipment with a simple goal -- that of guaranteeing to all citizens a fundamental right enshrined in our Constitution: the right to health," said Arcuri.
"A great country cannot depend forever on imports and trade wars -- we are a G7 nation (and) the second manufacturing power in Europe," the commissioner noted.
Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte last month named Arcuri a "commissioner with ample powers to ramp up the manufacturing and distribution of intensive care machines and medical equipment" during the coronavirus emergency.
He also sits on a Committee of Experts nominated by Conte in a decree issued on April 10. The Committee's job is to come up with measures and strategies for "the gradual resumption of ... social, economic and productive activities" in Phase Two.
Arcuri also serves as the CEO of Invitalia, an agency owned by the Ministry of Economic Development that manages national incentives for new businesses.
LOCKDOWN MAKES GAMBLING ADDICTS "MORE AWARE"
Also on Saturday, the Ministry of Health said that the national lockdown has caused an increase in the number of calls to a National Institute of Health (ISS) helpline for gambling addicts.
In this country of about 60 million inhabitants, 8-10 million people gamble and of these, 1.3 million are classifiable as gambling addicts, according to the ministry.
"There are more calls from gamblers as opposed to their family members, and calls that used to last 15 minutes now last an average of 40 minutes," commented Roberta Pacifici, who directs the ISS Center for Addictions and Doping.
"The awareness of having a problem has increased with the lockdown," she said. "So this could become an opportunity to try to change."
Saturday's number of new deaths was five fewer from Friday's 420, according to figures from the country's Civil Protection Department. It raised the nationwide fatalities to 26,384 since the pandemic broke out in northern Italy earlier this year.
Total active infections stood at 105,847, down by 680 cases compared to the previous day, according to the latest data. This is the sixth consecutive daily drop in the number of active infections in Italy.
Of the positive cases, 2,102 are in intensive care (down by 71 patients compared to Friday), 21,533 are hospitalized (down by 535 patients) and the rest, or 77.7 percent, are in isolation at home.
There were 2,622 more recoveries compared to Friday, bringing the nationwide total to 63,120.
The total number of confirmed cases -- combining active infections, fatalities and recoveries -- rose to 195,351, a daily increase of 2,357 against Friday.
Italy entered into a national lockdown on March 10 to contain the pandemic. The lockdown, which is expected to last until May 3, will be followed by a so-called "Phase Two," which involves "the gradual resumption of social, economic and productive activities," the Italian government has explained.
ANTIBODY TESTING TO START MAY 4
Speaking at a nationally televised press conference earlier in the day, Extraordinary Commissioner for the Coronavirus Emergency Domenico Arcuri said that winning the war against the new coronavirus will depend on individual decisions once the national lockdown ends on May 3.
"No government decree will give us a definitive victory over the virus -- that will depend solely on us and our behavior," Arcuri said.
"I strongly invite you to behave ... with determination, a spirit of sacrifice, and a sense of belonging to the national community," said the commissioner.
Arcuri said that blood testing for antibodies to the new coronavirus -- to find out what percentage, if any, of the population has unknowingly come in contact with the virus at some point -- will begin on May 4.
The serological survey is a key part of Italy's public health strategy to contain the virus during Phase Two of the emergency, when businesses will gradually reopen and isolation measures will be eased after the end of the lockdown.
"The competition for serological tests has concluded today and 72 companies participated," Arcuri said. "The winner ... is offering the test for free," he said. "So we have obtained the best offer on the existing market while at the same time without burdening state coffers."
"Starting on May 4, we will begin our survey on the first 150,000 citizens, which we have organized into a (representative) sample," Arcuri explained.
INVESTING IN FACE MASK PRODUCTION
Arcuri went on to describe the government's recent efforts to encourage domestic production of protective face masks.
"As of last night, 106 companies have received (government) approval for their investment programs, and five of these have signed a contract with us and are supplying us with face masks," Arcuri said.
The government has also contracted two Italian companies to manufacture 51 machines capable of producing "400,000 to 800,000 masks per day," said the commissioner.
The government has not only provided incentives to convert existing factories or set up new factories, "but it is also purchasing the machines needed to produce these masks (and) we will be able to produce at least 25 million of them a day," Arcuri said.
"The state ... (is) investing powerfully in men, facilities, technologies and equipment with a simple goal -- that of guaranteeing to all citizens a fundamental right enshrined in our Constitution: the right to health," said Arcuri.
"A great country cannot depend forever on imports and trade wars -- we are a G7 nation (and) the second manufacturing power in Europe," the commissioner noted.
Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte last month named Arcuri a "commissioner with ample powers to ramp up the manufacturing and distribution of intensive care machines and medical equipment" during the coronavirus emergency.
He also sits on a Committee of Experts nominated by Conte in a decree issued on April 10. The Committee's job is to come up with measures and strategies for "the gradual resumption of ... social, economic and productive activities" in Phase Two.
Arcuri also serves as the CEO of Invitalia, an agency owned by the Ministry of Economic Development that manages national incentives for new businesses.
LOCKDOWN MAKES GAMBLING ADDICTS "MORE AWARE"
Also on Saturday, the Ministry of Health said that the national lockdown has caused an increase in the number of calls to a National Institute of Health (ISS) helpline for gambling addicts.
In this country of about 60 million inhabitants, 8-10 million people gamble and of these, 1.3 million are classifiable as gambling addicts, according to the ministry.
"There are more calls from gamblers as opposed to their family members, and calls that used to last 15 minutes now last an average of 40 minutes," commented Roberta Pacifici, who directs the ISS Center for Addictions and Doping.
"The awareness of having a problem has increased with the lockdown," she said. "So this could become an opportunity to try to change."
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