Circulation of the virus among the elderly, number of "clusters" and now even number of deaths: "all indicators" of a worsening of the Covid-19 epidemic are present, warns, Friday, September 18, Public Health France ( SpF).
"For the first time since the lifting of confinement, we have observed an increase in deaths for Covid-19", with a doubling to 265 deaths, after 129 the previous week, underlines the health agency in its last weekly update.
"These are deaths that are observed both in hospitals and in nursing homes for the elderly," said Sophie Vaux, epidemiologist at SpF, during an online press briefing.
The indicators of the epidemic in the hospital, which started to rise again for two months, continued to deteriorate last week, with "an increase in emergency room visits for suspected Covid-19 (+ 50%), news hospitalizations (+ 45%), as well as intensive care admissions (+ 48%) ".
"These increases support the need to protect the most vulnerable" and show that "the adoption by all of all preventive measures is essential", underlines SpF.
Tightening of restrictions
The prefect of the Alpes-Maritimes announced on Friday that "gatherings of more than 10 people in parks, gardens, beaches and on the quays of the town will now be prohibited".
Nice drinking establishments will have to close at 12:30 a.m., he added, while take-out and alcohol consumption in public spaces will be banned after 8 p.m.
Up to now limited to 5,000 people, large gatherings will not be able to exceed a thousand participants.
Similar measures will soon come into force in Lyon.
In Paris and Île-de-France, private gatherings of 10 people are not prohibited but not recommended.
"A significant number of epidemic outbreaks has its origin in the family or friendly environment. It is therefore up to everyone to protect their loved ones by reconsidering the organization of private gatherings, as soon as they include more than ten participants", underline, in a joint press release, the Regional Health Agency (ARS) of Île-de-France, the regional prefecture and the Paris police headquarters.
Green light for the use of saliva tests
In addition, the Haute Autorité de Santé (HAS) gave a favorable opinion on Friday to the use of saliva tests to detect infections with the new coronavirus, but only in people with symptoms.
Saliva tests can detect the presence of genetic material of the coronavirus from a simple saliva sample.
This is easier, faster and less unpleasant than the current reference sample (RT-PCR), which requires that a long swab be inserted deeply into the person's nose.
The authorities hope that the arrival of saliva tests will reduce the time taken for tests, which are currently too long.
With AFP
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