ROME (AP) – The highest corona virus deaths in Europe – Italy could soon recover a record that no one wanted – The health system failed to protect the elderly again, and government officials delayed imposing new restrictions. This should not happen. Italy was the first country in the West to be hit by COVID-19 and, after suffering a major death in the spring, brought the epidemic under control. Italy had the benefit of the time and experience of the fall leading to a resurgence, as it recorded major new epidemics in Spain, France and Germany. Nevertheless the virus spread rapidly and widely, and since September 1 Italy has killed nearly 29,000 people. “Obviously there must be some reactions,” Guido Razi, the former managing director of the European pharmaceutical company, told state television after Italy reported an epidemic. 993 deaths were reported in a single day. “The number of 1,000 deaths in 24 hours is much higher than the European average.” Italy added another 649 people on Saturday, bringing its official total to 64,036 – Britain’s leading Europe to be ashamed of the death toll of 64,123, according to Johns Hopkins University. It is believed that both numbers greatly underestimate the true number due to missed infections, limited testing and different counting criteria. However, despite having a population of 6 million less than the UK’s 66 million, Italy is likely to overtake the UK, surpassing only the largest United States, Brazil, India and Mexico. According to Hopkins, Italy is the deadliest country with a population of 100,000. Public health officials argue that Italy has the second oldest population in the world after Japan, and the elderly are more susceptible to the virus. The average age of Italian victims has risen to 80. In addition, 65% of Italy’s COVID-19 deaths were due to three or more other health problems before a positive test, such as high blood pressure or diabetes, according to the Italian Superior Institute of Health. But that doesn’t explain the whole picture. Germany has a similarly old population, but its mortality rate is one-third that of Italy, despite its large population of 83 million. Germany recorded its highest daily corona virus infection – 598 – but a total of 21,500 people died. Analysts point to the long-term personal costs of health care in Germany, resulting in higher ICU capacity, better screening and tracking capacity and higher rates of doctors and nurses per population. But Germany also imposed a pre-fall, lighter lock, and is now ready to tighten it. Villa, a research fellow at the Institute of International Political Studies, a Milan-based think tank, said it had been waiting a long time since the outbreak of the epidemic to impose restrictions in September and October, during which time its medical system had not been adequately strengthened. “If you look at France and the UK, you can see that Italy performed very poorly,” he said. “If you look at the population comparable to similar figures, this is what Germany and Italy did so badly.” When another wave of epidemics threatens to be in a corner with Christmas visits and the winter flu season, many people wonder how many more will die. Doctors have blamed systemic problems on Italy’s health care system, especially in Lombardy, for failing to respond adequately. They cite the growth of private hospitals in Lombardy in recent years at the expense of public hospitals. Fewer doctors have gone into practice with brain drain and bureaucratic barriers, while general practitioners have complained of a lack of support despite being the backbone of the organization. Nearly 80,000 Italian health workers have been affected and 255 doctors have died. “We heard of the lockout in early November because the situation inside the hospitals was already difficult,” said Dr. Filippo Anelly, president of the country’s Medical Association. “We saw this working in the spring and it allowed us to get out of the COVID. If this were possible, the numbers would probably be declining today.” But the Italian government opposed resuming the nationwide lockout this fall, a disaster on the economy that had begun to revive after the spring shutdown. The impact was felt.On November 3, the government divided the country into three risk zones, but by then the epidemics had doubled each week, and hospitals in Milan and Naples were already overcrowded, with Italy also experiencing a poorly prepared epidemic, which had fewer individual ICU beds than the average of developed countries. In recent weeks, investigative news reports indicate that Italy has not updated its Influenza outbreak program since 2006 – which is the beginning of a confusing initial response to a lack of safety equipment and an epidemic. Help explain in ten. The World Health Organization report, which was released and then immediately removed from the WHO website, noted that Italy’s 2006 plan was “reaffirmed in 2017” without being updated. The report said the plan was “more theoretical than practical” and that when the COVID-19 succeeded, all hell was loose. “Patients with severe illnesses are not prepared for such a flood, and the initial reaction of hospitals is enhanced, confusing and constructive,” the UN said. The health agency said it had deleted the report because it contained “inaccuracies and inconsistencies” and later decided not to republish it as it created other ways to assess countries’ responses. Ranked 31st between Indonesia and Poland. In the 2019 survey of 195 countries compiled by the Global Health Care Index, which assesses capabilities to respond to an epidemic or other health crisis. Italy scored particularly poorly in emergency response, preparedness and communications with health workers during a crisis. Government officials admit they were caught unprepared, but have defended their response to the revival scientifically and proportionately to prevent the economy from collapsing. The government’s anti-virus commissioner, Dominico Arkuri, said on Thursday that the November restrictions were typing Italy’s infectious curve. “Daily infections are declining, hospital admissions are declining, and unfortunately the number of people admitted to intensive care is declining,” Arkuri said. It was a small consolation to Marcella Polla, who announced the death of her 90-year-old aunt on December 6, that she had contracted the virus at a hospital in October after complications following angioplasty. “My aunt was tough, Trentino fiber,” Polla wrote, explaining the unusual photo her aunt posted, capturing herself in this year’s collection of gymnastic rings. “Although it hurts me to have her and so many others die alone and then put in a body bag, I want to remember her like this.” Follow ___ AP infection at http://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus infection and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak.
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