France is still "far from deconfinement", assures the government, despite the slight decrease in patients with Covid-19 in intensive care for two days.

The Minister of Health, Olivier Véran will provide an update on the epidemic this Thursday evening.

In addition, the United States has officially recorded more than 250,000 deaths.

Follow the evolution of the situation live. 

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A slightly positive signal: the pressure is easing a bit on the intensive care units, even if they remain under great stress.

According to a latest report from Public Health France, 4,775 Covid-19 patients are in intensive care, including 357 new admissions in 24 hours.

The patients in intensive care have been declining for two days in a row: there are 79 fewer.

While Emmanuel Macron is due to speak next week, France is still "far from deconfinement", government spokesman Gabriel Attal warned on Wednesday.

Follow the evolution of the situation live. 

Information to remember 

  • The latest report shows 425 deaths recorded in 24 hours, but a drop in resuscitation admissions 

  • France is "far from deconfinement" announces the government

  • The United States passes the 250,000 dead mark

46,698 deaths in total in France, resuscitations down

According to the latest report published by Public Health France, the coronavirus epidemic has killed 46,698 people in the country, or 425 deaths in 24 hours.

Positive indicator: the number of patients in intensive care decreased slightly for the second consecutive day.

In fact, 4,775 patients are admitted to these services, ie 79 beds released in 24 hours.

The pressure is still strong on hospitals: 32,842 people with Covid-19 are hospitalized (regardless of the severity of their condition), against a record of more than 33,500 the day before, a level that had not been reached during the first wave in the spring.

Caregivers, exhausted, deplore a dire lack of personnel.

Discover here their solutions to cope.

The Minister of Health, Olivier Véran, makes a new point this Thursday evening on the epidemic. 

France "far from deconfinement"

France is still "far from deconfinement", government spokesman Gabriel Attal warned on Wednesday.

"We are talking about a possible adaptation of the confinement from December 1 if the health situation allows it", he added.

From Tuesday evening, Prime Minister Jean Castex, before the parliamentary commission of inquiry on the management of the health crisis, set the tone.

The deconfinement will be "careful and progressive".

Gabriel Attal specified the upcoming calendar: Jean Castex meets the leaders of parties and political groups on Friday afternoon, then organizes a meeting with the social partners next week, before a speech by Emmanuel Macron at the approach of the December 1, for a new stage point. 

Tensions around Black Friday 

In full confinement, the commercial event imported from the United States in the early 2010s is causing controversy.

The Minister of the Economy Bruno Le Maire on Wednesday asked the actors of the distribution to "postpone" the "Black Friday", scheduled for November 27, while the government must decide in the coming days on what date the businesses say "no essential "can reopen. 

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The traders sent an open letter to the government pleading for a reopening on the weekend of November 27, "the second most important weekend of this end of the year, it is 18% more turnover if we can open up, ”explains Yohann Petiot, Director-General of the Alliance du commerce, on Europe 1. 

The vaccine race continues 

The contract between the EU and the American biotechnology company Moderna for an anti-Covid vaccine, effective at 94.5 %% according to the company, is "almost ready" and will be concluded "in the coming days", assured Wednesday French Secretary of State for European Affairs Clément Beaune, while many vaccine projects are starting to come to fruition. 

The vaccine developed by the Pfizer / BioNTech alliance is 95% effective in preventing Covid-19, according to full results from their large-scale clinical trial, the companies said on Wednesday.

Pfizer will apply for marketing authorization "within days" from the United States Drug Administration (FDA).

In parallel, Spain authorized the launch of the last phase of clinical trial of a vaccine, developed by the American group Johnson & Johnson, which will also be tested in eight other countries.

This phase three trial will be carried out in nine Spanish hospitals, first on volunteers who do not present any particular risk of developing serious forms of Covid-19, then on patients at risk.  

Faced with the acceleration of scientific research on the subject, the World Health Organization remains on the alert.

The vaccines will not arrive in time to fight the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic, and many countries "will continue to face it without vaccines," the head of emergency warned on Wednesday. WHO.

"I think it will be at least four to six months before there are sufficient levels of immunization anywhere," said Michael Ryan, during a question and answer session on social media, noting that vaccines should not be seen as a "magic potion".

More than 250,000 dead in the United States

The United States on Wednesday reached the mark of 250,000 deaths attributed to Covid-19 since the start of the pandemic, according to the benchmark count from Johns Hopkins University.

The country, where the epidemic has picked up significantly in recent weeks, is by far the most bereaved in the world by the disease, ahead of Brazil and India.

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