In the midst of the ninth wave of the pandemic, the dead from Covid-19 in France exceeded 160,000 today, according to data released by the Ministry of Health. In total, 160,008 people have died since the start of the pandemic, of which 130,617 were hospitalized. The 150,000 dead mark was passed on July 8.
“The epidemic did not disappear, o virus it still kills,” Prime Minister Elizabeth Bourne warned in late November in a speech to parliament.
Since the beginning of the year, France counts almost 40,000 dead due to complications of Covid-19.
For three weeks now a new wave swells in France, due to the spread of Omicron’s sub-variant BQ.1.1 which is gradually replacing BA.5. Almost three years after the start of the pandemic, this new wave does not seem to have reached its peak yet although in recent days the rate of infections is slowing down.
This evening 23,217 patients were being treated in hospitals, of which 2,104 were new admissions. In the last 24 hours, 135 people lost their lives.
The seasonal flu and the epidemic of bronchiolitis in children were added to the Covid-19 pandemic. This ‘triple epidemic’ is ‘absolutely unprecedented’ and its evolution difficult to predict, health authorities reported in early December.
Regarding the vaccination for Covid-19 and also for the flu, the numbers are low. Last week Health Minister François Bron pointed out that only 2.8 million people had received the booster dose of the Covid-19 vaccine since early October, “far fewer than our European neighbours”.
Regarding the use of the mask, the government avoids making it mandatory again in closed and crowded placesmuch to the dismay of epidemiologists, patients and medical staff.
Source: News Beast
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