Paris (AFP)

Fewer positive cases, fewer hospital admissions, fewer deaths and more vaccinated: indicators of the Covid-19 epidemic are improving, but health experts remain cautious before the next stages of deconfinement, judged at risk.

Last week, marked by the reopening of primary schools, around 150,000 positive coronavirus cases were reported, against more than 202,939 the previous week, according to the weekly update from Public Health France.

A decrease to be put into perspective because of one more public holiday, May 1, synonymous with a drop in tests.

"The epidemic remains at a still high level, higher than that observed a week before the lifting of the second confinement" in December, underlines Public Health France in its bulletin, 12 days before the date set by the executive for the reopening of the terraces, some shops and cultural places.

In addition, a total of 26 cases of the variant circulating in India have been detected so far in "11 episodes" of infection, according to Public Health France, "but early measures to identify and isolate the cases and their contacts made it possible to limit the risk of dissemination ".

- Caution -

"We will have to be very, very careful during the deconfinement and really respect the barrier gestures because otherwise we will start again on exactly the same problem in a few weeks", warned, on RMC, Professor Jean-Daniel Lelièvre, head of the infectious diseases department at Henri-Mondor hospital in Créteil.

"The maintenance of barrier measures and the acceleration of vaccination is essential", in particular "to allow the lifting of certain measures", we also insist in Public Health France.

"The risk of rebound is there," warned the Institut Pasteur modeling specialist on Thursday, Simon Cauchemez, calling for "adjusting the schedule" of deconfinement if necessary.

After May 19, the next step in the plan to reopen activities in France is set for June 9, with indoor cafes and restaurants (tables of 6 maximum), before the end of the curfew on June 30.

The drop in contamination has made it possible to reduce hospital arrivals: 8,990 admissions of patients with Covid-19 were recorded on Thursday over the last seven days, against nearly 14,000 in mid-April.

The number of Covid-19 patients treated in intensive care remains high, above the initial capacity in sheave beds, but it continues to decrease, to 5,231 Thursday, against more than 6,000 eleven days ago.

This week, the death toll in hospital has hovered between 200 and 300 per day, a declining rate as well.

Since the start of the epidemic, the total number of deaths has risen to 105,879, the vast majority of the elderly, more fragile.

Thursday, for the first time since the start of the vaccination campaign, at the end of December, the number of injections on a single day exceeded 600,000 (604,000), after two days already at more than 500,000.

With 24.5 million injections in total, almost a third of the adult population (32.6%) received a first dose and 14.1% were vaccinated with two doses.

Vaccination will be extended from Monday to all over 50, without condition of health, and to all adults without condition of age from Wednesday in case of appointments available the day before for the next day.

As the campaign progresses, reluctance to be vaccinated decreases among the youngest.

A majority of 18-24 years (55%) questioned between April 21 and 23, according to a survey by Public Health France, against 36% in mid-March.

The intention to be vaccinated is also increasing among 25-34 year olds, to 43% against 39%, but remains stable for the entire population (56%).

© 2021 AFP