"Exponential" progression of Covid-19 in France, more than 7,300 new cases in 24 hours

"The dynamics of progression of the epidemic is exponential" in metropolitan France, warned the Directorate General of Health (DGS), Friday, August 28, in a press release. Indeed, the latest assessment of the Covid-19 pandemic in France reports 7,379 new positive diagnoses recorded in 24 hours, against 6,111 on Thursday, and 5,429 on Wednesday.

Although the threshold of 4,000 new cases has been crossed several times in recent days, it is the highest figure since testing has been carried out on a large scale.

🗞 Press release | Situation update #Coronavirus of Friday, August 28, 2020
• 30,596 people have died in France
• 86,177 people have returned home
• 4,535 people are hospitalized
• 387 # COVID19 serious patients in intensive care

Hospital indicators at limited levels, but increasing

The positive cases detected increase because of the circulation of the virus and because the number of people tested increases every day (893,146 tests carried out over the last "slippery" week).

The test positivity rate stood at 3.9% over the period between August 19 and 25, also increasing, against 3.8% from August 18 to 24 and 3.6% between August 15 and 21. August.

"Although remaining at limited levels, hospital indicators (new hospitalizations and intensive care admissions) are increasing, especially in regions where viral circulation is the most intense", underlines the DGS, with a total of 4,535 people hospitalized ( like Thursday), including 387 serious cases in intensive care (+6 in twenty-four hours).

Avoiding "widespread re-containment"

In total, since the start of the pandemic, 30,596 people have died in France, i.e. 20 more in 24 hours, including 20,089 in hospitals and 10,507 (data from Thursday) in social and medico-social establishments, in particular Ehpad.

In all, 21 departments out of a hundred are still classified in the red zone of active circulation of the virus, while the obligation to wear a mask extends, especially in large urban areas. On Thursday, the government said it wanted to "do everything" to avoid a "generalized reconfinement" devastating for the economy.

With AFP

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