Paris (AFP)
The number of deaths caused by the coronavirus epidemic in France since March crossed the 60,000 mark on Friday, to 60,229 people, according to figures from Public Health France published on Friday.
The health authorities have been worried for several days of a "worrying" resumption of the epidemic, on the eve of the end of the year holidays.
"We are really on an increase in the circulation of the virus, a resumption of the epidemic," said Sophie Vaux, epidemiologist at Public Health France, during an online press briefing.
A finding established on the basis of a "resumption" of contamination on a weekly basis.
Last week, nearly 80,000 screening tests (PCR or antigens) were recorded, 10% more than the previous week.
Friday, Public Health France reported 15,674 people tested positive over 24 hours, against 18,254 the day before.
The positivity rate, - which measures the percentage of people infected in relation to the number of tests -, is 5.9%, down slightly from 6.1% on Thursday.
The number of people treated in intensive care stood at 2,764 patients, down from 2,808 on Thursday.
Same scenario for the number of hospitalized patients, at 24,945, against 25,182 the day before.
But health authorities are worried about a new influx of sick people following the holiday season, despite the imposition of a curfew and the authorities' urgent call to limit family reunions.
France, which was already "at a worrying level in terms of new cases, hospital load", is "on the eve of two particular weeks, which are weeks of leave, reunion, meetings", said Friday Laëtitia Huiart, scientific director of the public health agency during her press briefing.
The results of the pandemic in France can be compared to that of Italy, with more than 67,000 deaths, and is part of the 504,009 deaths recorded in Europe.
The Covid-19 has killed at least 1,662,792 people around the world, according to a report established by AFP from official sources on Friday at 11:00 GMT.
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