from Riccione to Sicily. Controls in Sardinia

While the fear of the Delta variant has already raised the cancellations of Italians ready to leave for holidays abroad and several hundred of our young compatriots are stuck in isolation between Spain, Malta and Dubai, also in the Peninsula there are several small outbreaks in the holiday resorts or among tourists – often very young – on their return.

From yesterday to stand out is the case of the Sicilian island of Pantelleria, threatened by 26 new infections (of which 9 to be confirmed with the molecular swab). These are mainly adolescents, at least 6 minors, almost all unvaccinated. According to the reconstructions of the health authorities of the municipality in the Trapani area, the chain of infections would have been triggered by a private party which, explains the mayor Vincenzo Campo, “We hope to be able to stem it if the infections were to spread, the risk of becoming a red zone would be at doors with very serious damage the consequences would be devastating ». If not contained, it risks making concrete the specter of the establishment of a red zone ”.

A danger that has already become a reality in Gela, in the province of Trapani. From today, in fact, the municipality has been placed by an order of the governor Nello Musumeci in the band with the most stringent restrictions. To weigh a full-bodied boom of infections (46 only in the last two days) which, however, as pointed out by the Municipality, do not correspond to a surge in hospitalizations (there are only 10). A short circuit that is known to cause some concern and will be remedied next week with the definition of new parameters.

Delta variant in the Riviera

But I’m also worried in Riccione. In fact, the local health authorities of Romagna have been forced to work overtime for some days to try to trace the numerous cases recorded as faithfully as possible. In particular, attempts are being made to reconstruct the movements of a group of 15 young people from Alessandria who, after spending a week on the Riviera between public and local transport, all developed symptoms and then tested positive for tampons.

We can also speak of an outbreak of return infections for the 40 young people, mainly from Brescia and Milan (but also some from Lazio, from the province of Rieti) between 16 and 19 years old, who ended up in isolation in recent days after a holiday in Manfredonia, in Puglia. A seven-day organized tour which – after having made it necessary to over 400 tampons throughout the beautiful country – has turned into the “unforgettable journey” that the agency sponsored to attract bookings. But in Puglia the spotlight is all on Salento and in particular on Gallipoli, where abusive parties and parties on the beach and in private villas are popular.

As for the Lazio coast, on the other hand, a risky situation only in Ostia where a new outbreak with 21 positivity has been recorded (but the checks are in progress) among the customers of a place on the beach known for its nightlife not really up to date with the anti-Covid rules. The remaining part of the coast is under control. From Ladispoli to Civitavecchia, then passing through Santa Marinella and Santa Severa, for weeks the new cases have not exceeded 5 or 7 a day and in any case not attributable to outbreaks. The same goes for the province of Latina (from Circeo to Sabaudia to Terracina and Formia) where the first cases of the Delta variant were found but in very small numbers.

Exactly the opposite of what is happening in Sardinia, which sees the transition to the yellow zone on the horizon (with the old parameters), with devastating consequences for hoteliers who are already facing the first cancellations. The Region, in these hours, will try to put a piece of it, with the restoration of random checks in ports and airports at least for tourists arriving from Northern Europe, including Great Britain.

The ordinance was signed by the governor Christian Solinas, but for now there have been no restrictions for those leaving from the Peninsula. The fact is that the contagion situation has precipitated from June onwards, precisely because of the high number of arrivals in ports and airports: no less than 6 thousand people every day. In fact, in the tourist villages and in the holiday cities, the first two weeks of July went very well and for August the “full house” was given for sure. But now “Unfortunately there has been some cancellation”, the travel agents’ federation said, “because the risk of spending the holidays with too many restrictions is just what nobody wants to run”.