Coronavirus: 163 deaths in 24 hours, sharp increase in the number of patients in intensive care

The number of Covid-19 patients in intensive care increased sharply on Tuesday, with 278 new admissions in 24 hours and 163 people died, according to official figures from Public Health France.

>> LIVE

- Coronavirus: follow the evolution of the situation Tuesday, October 20

Particularly tense situation in Ile-de-France

The total number of people in intensive care or intensive care with Covid-19 stands at 2,168, after passing the 2,000 mark on Monday.

The last time we counted more than 2,000 people in intensive care for Covid-19 was in mid-May.

At the peak of the epidemic, in April, more than 7,000 patients were hospitalized in intensive care, a number which fell sharply until the end of July, before gradually rising. 

The situation is particularly tense in Ile-de-France, which concentrates 661 patients in intensive care.

Health Minister Olivier Véran said Thursday that France had a total of 5,800 intensive care beds.

>> READ ALSO

- Covid-19: scientists warn about the mistrust of populations with regard to a vaccine

33,885 deaths in total in France

The death toll from the disease in the past 24 hours rose to 163 on Tuesday, after 146 on Monday, bringing the total since the start of the epidemic to 33,885, including 22,873 in hospitals.

Again, this is a level that has not been seen since the month of May.

The number of people who tested positive in 24 hours is 20,468, for a total of 930,745, according to data from the health agency.

The positivity rate (proportion of positive tests compared to the total tests carried out) continues to increase, to 13.6%, against only 4.5% at the beginning of September.