Contaminations are falling and hospitalizations are stabilizing

The fifth wave of Covid-19 is slowly ebbing in France. This Thursday, the number of people hospitalized was stable, still above 32,000. Contaminations have declined over a week, according to figures published in the evening by the health authorities.

32,852 patients are currently in hospital with a Covid diagnosis (including 3,091 admissions in the past 24 hours) compared to 32,720 on Wednesday and 30,982 a week ago, according to Public Health France.

Fewer and fewer cases

Critical care services welcomed 3,643 patients (including 310 admissions) against 3,700 on Wednesday and 3,694 a week ago.

The number of new cases stood at 274,352 against 315,363 the day before. On average over seven days, 289,245 daily cases were recorded, a sharp drop from the 360,386 recorded a week ago, seeming to confirm that the peak of contamination has passed.

280 deaths per day

The number of deaths since the start of the epidemic, almost two years ago, now stands at 131,852 people. According to the counts of the last 24 hours, 280 people died in hospital with a Covid diagnosis (compared to 277 the day before).

Now dominant, the Omicron variant causes less severe forms of Covid, which results in shorter hospital stays and a lower risk of going to intensive care.

Relaxation of the rules

“At the national level, the peak has passed. Should we deduce that the wave is over, that the epidemic is behind us, no”, commented Thursday Geneviève Chêne, director general of Public Health France. Assuring that “the worst is behind us” for this 5th wave of the Covid epidemic, the Minister of Health Olivier Véran announced on Wednesday a relaxation of the rules for obtaining the vaccine pass: it can be obtained after two doses and one Covid-19 infection.

The government began on Wednesday to lift restrictions on the French, ending the wearing of masks outside, gauges in places receiving the seated public or compulsory teleworking.