Covid, Pregliasco: cases are rising but the situation is under control

It’s true: Covid cases are on the rise again. But there’s no need to panic, because autumn, as it does every year, brings with it flu and respiratory viruses – including Covid.

SARS-CoV-2 continues to circulate throughout the Northern Hemisphere, with around 50 cases per 100,000 inhabitants. In France, according to ministerial data reported in the press, the number of medical consultations for Covid-19 has risen by 76 per cent in a week. In our country, there were 128 cases in the month of September, more than half of which (74) were in Lombardy alone.

“What we are seeing confirms a pattern that Covid has exhibited in recent years: the virus has not disappeared and continues to spread in waves, fuelled by the emergence of variants, the gradual decline in immunity and the increase in opportunities for contact,” explains Fabrizio Pregliasco, director of the Postgraduate School of Hygiene and Preventive Medicine at the University of Milan, past president of ANPAS (National Association of Public Assistance) and vice-president of Samaritan International.

It should also be borne in mind that far fewer tests are being carried out today and systematic surveillance has been scaled back in many countries; therefore, the figures should be interpreted with caution. ‘The key figure to look at is not just the number of positive cases. It is essential to focus above all on hospital admissions, intensive care admissions and deaths, because these are the indicators that allow us to assess the actual public health impact of the virus circulating,’ explains the virologist.

Finally, there are seasonal illnesses such as flu and respiratory infections, which can increase the overall number of people falling ill and, consequently, place an additional strain on GPs, A&E departments and hospitals.