Covid, outbreak in Puglia: 34 young people infected after vacation

Outbreak among a group of young people, 34 young people aged between 17 and 19, who had spent a holiday in Manfredonia in the Foggia area at the end of June. The infected came from all regions of Italy. Coronavirus positivity was found once they returned home. The ASL of the Daunian capital, alerted by the Ministry of Health, has applied “all the protocols provided for in the field of epidemiological investigation, tracing and isolation”, reads a note from the Region. “To date the situation is absolutely under control”, he assures. The alert was triggered when some of the participants, upon returning from vacation in their municipalities of residence, began to show mild symptoms. The Public Hygiene Service of the Local Health Authority, in synergy with the University Hygiene Institute, made contact with the structure and started the epidemiological investigation activity. About fifty people, including employees and occasional collaborators, were subjected to swabs. Of these, only one was positive, immediately isolated together with the family. All other employees tested negative. In addition, all the Apulian boys who participated in the holiday, about twenty in all, were subjected to a swab, of which only one girl, residing in a municipality in the province of Foggia, is positive for Covid. Paucisymptomatic, she was subjected to isolation while the parents tested negative for covid. The Hygiene Service has ordered isolation for all of its direct contacts. The children who arrived the following week in the tourist facility were also subjected to a tampon even if they had not had contact with the boys of the previous holiday. All tested negative. Active surveillance and monitoring by the ASL continue. In the next few days, control swabs will be carried out again to all the employees of the structure. To date, as part of the tracking activity connected to this cluster, about 400 swabs have been carried out throughout Italy: at the moment, 34 children have been tested positive. “The circulation of the virus is there, even if low”, explains the Apulian regional councilor for health, Pier Luigi Lopalco. “In certain conditions of overcrowding and community life, the mask, in addition to distancing and hand hygiene are the only barriers against the virus for those who are not fully vaccinated. It would be good practice to undergo vaccination before embarking on this type of vacation. in large communities. Coming back to living together – he underlines – does not mean exposing oneself and others to unnecessary risks. This is why we must accelerate the coverage of the entire vaccinable population, including those of high school age. national supplies will be regular “.