Drop in contamination and drop in hospitalizations: the health situation is improving in France, while in China, the city of Beijing fears being confined.
Covid-19 contaminations continue their sharp decline in France, the average number of positive tests over the past seven days having fallen by almost 30% in one week, according to figures published on Sunday by the health authorities.
That seven-day average – more meaningful than the daily figures because it smooths out variations by day of the week – stood at 54,011 cases on Sunday, down from 57,186 on Friday and 76,130 a week ago. It exceeded 130,000 in early April.
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In one week, the number of patients hospitalized with Covid-19 also fell, to 23,327 including 208 new admissions, against 24,888 including 372 new admissions a week ago, according to data from Public Health France.
Within the hospital, the critical care services are also affected by this drop: they had 1,557 Covid patients on Sunday, against 1,640 a week earlier. The number of new daily admissions was 19 on Sunday against 35 a week earlier.
In total, since the start of the epidemic more than two years ago, 145,962 people have been killed by the virus in France, i.e. 22 more deaths in 24 hours.
In China, the great fear of containment is spreading to Beijing
Nearly deserted tourist sites and restaurants in “take-out” mode: in Beijing, the threat of confinement weighs on the Labor Day holidays. The Chinese generally take advantage of May 1st and the holidays that follow to travel across the country. But this year, the worst Covid outbreak since the outbreak began is forcing many to stay at home.
While China’s largest city, Shanghai, has been locked down for more than a month, the capital Beijing is holding its breath after an epidemic rebound. The city has identified more than 300 positive cases in recent days. In all public places in the capital, it is now compulsory to present a screening test within 48 hours.