For First Time Since Outbreak Began, Use Of ICU Beds In Italy Has Dropped

ROME, ITALY, MARCH 31: An Italian tricolor flag waves at half mast in memory of victims of Covid-19, in Piazza Venezia, Rome, Italy, on March 31, 2020. Italian government is expected to extend restrictions against co... ROME, ITALY, MARCH 31: An Italian tricolor flag waves at half mast in memory of victims of Covid-19, in Piazza Venezia, Rome, Italy, on March 31, 2020. Italian government is expected to extend restrictions against coronavirus spread until after Easter. (Photo by Riccardo De Luca/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images) MORE LESS
Start your day with TPM.
Sign up for the Morning Memo newsletter

Even while the coronavirus-related death toll in Italy rose overnight to 15,362, Italian authorities are reporting the first drop in ICU bed use since the outbreak began.

Per the Associated Press, civil protection chief Angelo Borrelli said the dip in ICU saturation was “important news because it allows our hospitals to breathe.”

Italy has been particularly hard-hit by the outbreak.

According to the Washington Post, on March 21, it experienced its highest daily increase with 6,557 new infections. Hospitals in the northern part of the country were completely overwhelmed, and critical medical supplies in short supply.

Per Reuters, the new figures are giving the beleaguered Italians hope that the nation-wide lockdown, begun in mid-March, is starting to slow the virus’ spread. The number of people in intensive care dipped from 4,068 to 3,994.

Latest News

Notable Replies

  1. I suspect we’re only about three months away from such a milestone … if we’re really lucky.

  2. Avatar for pshah pshah says:

    Yeah. We’re a well-oiled machine. This is some six-sigma shit right here.

    The Italians deserve a break. I hope this is the beginning of a positive trend for them.

  3. Meanwhile…Instead of doing his job in times of a pandemic after invoking a national emergency…Trump has been busy purging/firing Crozier and Atkinson and joking about his sexual proclivities AND negating CDC’s recommendation to wear face mask/covering for the general public in his Covid briefing yesterday!

  4. I was about to post an article talking about the economic misery hitting Southern Italy, but I decided against it. Better to spend some time taking in that bit of good news, and let it be.

  5. Wherever Tena is, I hope she sees this as soon as possible.

Continue the discussion at forums.talkingpointsmemo.com

6 more replies

Participants

Avatar for discobot Avatar for paulw Avatar for hagarwood Avatar for pshah Avatar for bankerpup Avatar for tiowally Avatar for nycabj Avatar for libthinker Avatar for bobcanuel Avatar for alanonguitar Avatar for emiliano4 Avatar for Mikebeee

Continue Discussion
Masthead Masthead
Founder & Editor-in-Chief:
Executive Editor:
Managing Editor:
Deputy Editor:
Editor at Large:
General Counsel:
Publisher:
Head of Product:
Director of Technology:
Associate Publisher:
Front End Developer:
Senior Designer: