New measures, new reports and highlights: an update on the latest developments in the Covid-19 pandemic around the world.
The situation in France
More than 31,000 people were hospitalized on Friday for cases of Covid-19, a stable number despite the contagiousness of the Omicron variant, according to figures from Public Health France, which identified some 350,000 new cases in 24 hours. Hospitals in France had 31,271 Covid patients, compared to 30,982 the day before and 28,457 a week ago.
If hospitalizations continue to climb, the number of patients in critical care units (which receive the most serious cases) is decreasing: they were 3,656 on Friday, against 3,694 the day before and 3,792 the previous Friday. New hospitalizations are also stable, with 3,098 people admitted on Friday (three more than the day before), while entries into critical care are declining (3,656 against 3,694 Thursday).
Since the start of the pandemic, France has recorded 102,875 deaths in hospital in total (including 264 in the last 24 hours). A total of 130,278 people died of Covid-19 in hospitals, retirement homes or other medico-social establishments. The circulation of the virus remains strong but seems to be stabilizing, with 353,503 new contaminations, against 392,168 the day before. Over the past seven days, the daily average is 353,622.
Faced with the spread of the Omicron variant, now responsible for at least one in two deaths with Covid-19 in hospital, the vaccination campaign continues: 53.937 million people have received at least one injection, i.e. 80% of the population. More than 78% have a complete vaccination schedule.
Gradual lifting of restrictions in Iceland and Finland
Iceland plans to lift all of its Covid-19 restrictions by mid-March. From Friday midnight, the gauge for public gatherings will increase from 10 to 50 people, bars, restaurants and nightclubs will be able to reopen until midnight and the rule of social distancing will be reduced to one meter instead of two.
For its part, the Finnish government has announced that some of the restrictions will be lifted sooner than expected, as the pressure on the health system decreases.
More than 660,000 dead in Russia
Russia has recorded more than 660,000 Covid-related deaths since the start of the pandemic, according to figures from the Russian Statistics Agency (Rosstat). This is almost double the official toll communicated daily by the government, which is 329,443 to date.
Merck’s pill “active” against Omicron
Merck’s Covid pill remains “active” against the Omicron variant, the US company said on Friday, based on the results of six laboratory studies. The treatment, called molnupiravir, is an antiviral that must be given soon after symptoms appear and taken for five days to prevent the virus from replicating.
The balance sheet in the world
The Covid-19 pandemic has killed at least 5.63 million people worldwide since the end of December 2019, according to a report compiled by AFP from official sources on Thursday.
The countries that have recorded the highest number of deaths are the United States with 878,467 deaths, the Brazil (625.085) and theIndia (492.327). 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.
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