ROME, July 9 (Xinhua) -- The Delta variant of the coronavirus is spreading in Italy, according to the country's National Institute of Health (ISS), leading to an increase in the number of cases, though officials have ruled out an immediate change in government policy.
The Delta variant, which was first detected in India, is considered to be more transmissible and is reportedly responsible for an increase in the infection rates in multiple European countries.
Infections in Italy rose this week to 11 cases per 100,000 residents, up from nine cases per 100,000 residents a week earlier, said ISS president Silvio Brusaferro, who noted that the number of cases remained "of concern ... but reasonable."
Brusaferro said that 11 of Italy's 21 regions and autonomous provinces saw an increase in cases over the last seven days. Eight regions and autonomous provinces are classified as "moderate risk" with all the others at "low risk." As such, the entire country remained categorized as "white" zone, the least restrictive of Italy's four color-coded categories.
Brusaferro said the best thing the country can do to confront the spread of the Delta variant is to continue with its vaccination program, which has completely vaccinated 22.7 million people, the equivalent of 42 percent of the country's population over the age of 12. Enditem