Olivier Véran leaving the Elysée on January 27, 2021. -

Ludovic MARIN / AFP

The number of cases of variants of the coronavirus has increased from 500 per day at the beginning of January to 2,000 today, said Thursday the Minister of Health Olivier Véran, who fears an epidemic wave "even stronger than the previous ones" .

"It is estimated to have gone from around 500 patients per day with these variants at the beginning of January - this is higher than what we expected - to more than 2,000 patients per day", explained the minister during a press point, while the executive is preparing in the coming days to strengthen health restrictions.

Mainly the English variant, but also from South African

"Essentially, it is the variant discovered in England", but also at a very low level "of the variant of South African origin", he said.

"The lessons that we are drawing from the countries in which these variants circulated earlier and stronger than at home are that they are likely to lead to a very strong epidemic wave, even stronger than the previous ones given the high contagiousness. of these variants ”, added the Minister.

"The fact that these variants are spreading in our country lets us think that the curfew and all the control measures are certainly useful but probably not sufficient", he insisted.

"These variants, I consider them a bit like new viruses calling for new measures to protect us", he added, also referring to an "epidemic within the epidemic".

"Again the number of resuscitations increases, it's factual"

The minister compared the current situation to that which preceded the previous confinement in the fall, with 3,100 Covid patients in intensive care today, against “3,300 or 3,400” in October.

“We are almost today at the level of resuscitation for the month of October.

The big difference today is that the dynamic is not exponential it is true, but again the number of resuscitations increases, it is factual ”, he insisted, noting that the hospitals are“ almost at 60% occupancy ”of the sheaves beds by Covid patients.

The first interregional patient transfers planned

Faced with this hospital pressure, some hospitals, in Nice in particular, have started to transfer patients to other establishments in the same region, he said.

"And we are not very far from once again considering making the first interregional patient transfers to relieve certain regions," added the Minister, referring to the Grand Est and Franche-Comté.

However, he also wanted to reassure by indicating that "all scientists and laboratories remain confident about the effectiveness of vaccines" in the face of these variants, even if questions still arise for the variant which has emerged in South Africa.

Health

Covid-19: The variants raise fears "an epidemic within the epidemic", estimates Olivier Véran

Politics

Coronavirus: Are the French ready to accept a third confinement?


  • epidemic

  • Covid 19

  • Olivier Véran

  • Coronavirus

  • Health