New “red zones” located in areas of Italy have been imposed after new variants have been identified.
Restrictions on the red zone, which prohibit the exit of houses except for work or health reasons, came into force on Monday in the municipalities of the province of Perugia and six municipalities in the province of Terni, located in the Italian region of ‘Umbria. .
They will be in force until February 21, the Umbria regional government said on Saturday.
Covid-19 variants from the UK and Brazil were detected in a sample of 44 cases recently analyzed by the Italian Institute of Health, the local government said on Saturday.
The report by the Italian Institute of Health said it “leads to believe” that the presence of variants contributed to an increase in positive cases in the provinces of Perugia and Terni.
On Sunday, the Tuscan town of Chiusi, located near the Umbria border, also became a red zone after South African and Brazilian variants were detected in the community, according to the city’s mayor. On Friday, Juri Bettollini said the restrictions will last a week and that massive voluntary tests will be conducted in the city starting Monday.
The autonomous province of northern Bolzano (South Tyrol) was also placed under a red zone on Monday, a measure that will be in effect until February 28, according to the local government.
The Bolzano government said in a statement on Saturday that it had made the decision after the first case of the UK variant in the province was detected.
Restrictions on the red zone were also imposed on three other municipalities in the Abruzzo region on Saturday.
Most Italian regions are currently in “yellow zones”, the lightest of a three-tier restriction system.
The rest of the regions of Umbria, as well as Sicily and Puglia, are currently in the “orange zone”, where people are forbidden to leave their city and region (except for work or health reasons) and the bars and restaurants only offer delivery and takeaway services.