Anti-lockdown protests in Rome as 9,789 new Covid-19 cases reported
Rome, Apr 12 (EFE).- Hundreds of anti-lockdown protesters on Monday took to Rome’s streets as the Italian Health Ministry reported 9,789 newly confirmed coronavirus cases and 358 deaths over the past 24 hours.
Some 500 hoteliers, freelancers and workers in the world of sports gathered in central Rome after calls from the Io Apro group to protest against the closure of their respective industries for months due to the pandemic.
Among the protesters are militants from the neo-fascist group Casa Pound including one of its main figures, Luca Marsella, a counselor on the Rome City Council.
Italian Regional Affairs Minister Mariastella Gelmini told local media on Monday that May “will be the reopening month.”
On 20 April, the government will assess “the possibility, based on infections and the progress of the vaccination campaign, of some sign of reopening in April,” Gelmini said.
The 9,789 new Covid cases and 358 newly reported deaths bring the total to 3,779,594 confirmed cases and 114,612 deaths since the beginning of the pandemic.
Hospitalizations due to the coronavirus have slightly increased after declining for a number of days, with 30,922 out of the currently 524,417 active cases receiving hospital care, including 3,593 patients in intensive care units.
In the meantime, the vaccination rollout continues with emphasis on inoculating people older than 80 years old.
A total of 13,125,458 jabs have been administered, although only 3,952,644 Italians have been fully immunized to date.
EFE mol/ta-bp
