Paris (AFP)
The number of new cases of Covid-19 detected in 24 hours in France reached the figure of 8,550, close to the record of the day before since the start of the epidemic and the launch of large-scale tests in the country, according to data published Saturday evening by the Directorate General of Health (DGS).
8,550 positive cases have been confirmed since Friday, roughly the same level as the day before (8,975 cases), confirming the marked increase compared to previous days when there were just over 7,000 new cases in 24 hours.
"In mainland France, the progression of viral circulation is exponential. The dynamic of the rapidly growing transimission is worrying," notes Public Health France, in its regular review of the situation.
Above all, the multiplication of tests does not explain "the increase in observed cases", according to this press release.
"Since the beginning of July, the number of patients screened has multiplied by a little more than two and the number of new cases by twelve", notes Public Health France.
Nearly nine million tests have been carried out since the start of the epidemic, including more than one million in the past week.
Some 53 new "clusters" have been detected, out of a total of 484 under investigation, including 208 in nursing homes.
At the same time, the positivity rate (proportion of the number of people tested positive in relation to the total number of people tested) continues to increase: it reached 4.7% on Saturday, while it stood at 4.3% on Wednesday and 4.4% Thursday, according to the DGS.
The number of hospital deaths has reached 20,222, or 12 more in the past 24 hours, for a total of 30,698 deaths since the start of the epidemic.
The number of new hospitalizations over the last seven days has reached 1,661, including 285 in intensive care, according to Public Health France.
© 2020 AFP