Update on the latest developments in the Covid-19 pandemic in France and around the world.
The situation in France
The ebb of the Covid-19 epidemic observed for a fortnight continued on Thursday, with a further slight decrease in the number of hospitalized patients, according to figures published by the health authorities. With 59,760 positive cases for the Omicron variant recorded in 24 hours, the average of the last seven days, which smooths out statistical bumps, has dropped to 66,695 daily contaminations. It exceeded 130,000 in early April.
At the hospital, the number of patients with Covid-19 fell slightly, to 24,130, according to data from Public Health France, against 24,430 on Wednesday and 25,179 a week ago. The slow decrease continues in particular in critical care services, which had 1,629 Covid patients, against 1,658 on Wednesday and 1,677 seven days ago. The epidemic has still caused the death of 116 people in 24 hours, bringing the total number of deaths in France to 145,711 in more than two years.
On the vaccination side, almost no change: 54.3 million people have received at least one dose (80.6% of the total population) and 53.4 million are fully vaccinated (79.2%), according to ministry figures. of Health.
In Taiwan, more than 10,000 cases in 24 hours after the abandonment of “zero Covid”
Taiwan recorded more than 10,000 new coronavirus infections on Thursday for the first time since the start of the pandemic, after the government’s decision in early April to abandon its “zero Covid” strategy. “We have 11,353 local infections, two deaths and 164 imported cases,” Health Minister Chen Shih-chung announced Thursday at a press conference.
Taiwan maintained a low infection rate for the first two years of the pandemic thanks to border closures and strict quarantine rules. A resurgence last year had led to a new implementation of social distancing measures, costly for the economy, until the end of this wave. Infections are now picking up again but leaders have announced that they will follow the example of other economies, such as Singapore, Australia or New Zealand, which have moved from a “zero Covid” strategy to the acceptance of an increase in cases.
According to the Taiwanese Ministry of Health, 99.7% of the 51,504 cases recorded since January 1 have no or few symptoms. Seven deaths were reported during this period. “We are in a phase where cases will definitely increase rapidly, which is inevitable,” Chen said. The minister warned the number of infections could more than double to 37,000 within a week.