New measures, new reports and highlights: an update on the latest developments in the Covid-19 pandemic around the world.
The situation in France
The threshold of 130,000 deaths linked to Covid-19 was crossed on Thursday, less than two years after the start of the epidemic, according to figures from Public Health France, which again identified nearly 400,000 new cases in 24 hours. The macabre counter continues to turn: since the start of the epidemic, 130,015 people infected with Covid-19 have died in hospital, retirement homes or other medico-social establishments. That is 268 more than the day before.
At the same time, the virus is still circulating widely, with 392,168 new contaminations. Over the past seven days, the daily average stands at more than 360,000 cases. A spread due to the Omicron variant, much more contagious than its predecessors, but causing less severe forms. This is reflected in particular by shorter passages in hospital and less frequent admissions to intensive care.
For several days the number of patients in critical care has been declining (3,694 Thursday, or 18 less than the day before), although hospitalizations are increasing. Data on hospitalizations were not available at the start of the evening, however. The vaccination campaign also continued to slow down, despite the entry into force of the vaccination pass at the start of the week: 53.9 million people received at least one injection (i.e. 80% of the population), 52.6 million a full regimen (78% of the population) and 34.7 million received a booster dose.
Restrictions lifted in England
In the United Kingdom, England on Thursday abandoned almost all of the last restrictions in force against Covid-19, with which, the government hopes, the population will get used to living as they do with the flu.
This wind of freedom aimed at replacing legal obligations with “advice or recommendations” is timely for Prime Minister Boris Johnson, more than ever weakened by the scandal of parties organized in Downing Street in defiance of health rules.
The balance sheet in the world
The Covid-19 pandemic has made at least 5,625,889 dead worldwide since the end of December 2019, according to a report established by AFP from official sources on Thursday.
In absolute terms, the countries that have recorded the most deaths are the United States with 878,325 deaths, Brazil (625,085), India (491,700) and Russia (328,770).
The World Health Organization estimates, taking into account the excess mortality directly and indirectly linked to Covid-19, that the toll of the pandemic could be two to three times higher than that officially recorded.
Any reproduction prohibited