Italy: All country to be covid-19 ‘white zone’

Rome: All of Italy will become a ‘white zone’ – the country’s lowest-risk covid-19 category – from Monday 28 June, the health minister Roberto Speranza announced.

“It is an encouraging result, but caution and prudence are still needed, especially in light of the new variants” – Speranza wrote on Twitter – “The battle is not yet won.”

The move coincides with growing concerns about the Delta and Kappa coronavirus strains, which account for almost 17 per cent of total covid-19 cases in the past month, the higher health institute (ISS) said.

Italy reported 56 coronavirus-related deaths on Friday, against 28 the day before (21 of the fatalities registered today relate to recalculations from the Puglia region), while the daily tally of new infections fell to 753 from 927, reports news agency ANSA.