Yet another peak seems to have been crossed: with 203,021 positive cases recorded in 24 hours by Public Health France, the average for the last seven days stands at 136,000, after having just exceeded the threshold of 140,000 on Friday.
This beginning of a decline marks a break with the clear recovery observed in March, during which contamination almost tripled.
A "rebound" anticipated by the authorities: the Minister of Health Olivier Véran had mentioned three weeks ago a peak at "120,000-150,000 contaminations per day" for "the end of March".
However, the trend remains upward in hospitals, where there are now 23,010 infected patients (i.e. 175 more than the day before), including 1,552 in critical care services (+29).
Seven days ago, hospitals had 21,300 Covid patients (including 1,538 in critical care).
While the number of daily admissions increases further to more than 1,230 (on average over seven days), the Institut Pasteur "anticipates a plateau in the coming days" according to its projections updated on Monday.
"The slowdown in hospitalizations could come later" however if the reflux of contamination was "shifted in time" for the oldest, warn the researchers.
The second booster dose of vaccination, open to over 80s since March 14, is supposed to limit this risk, but three quarters of this age group "are not protected", according to a document from the Ministry of Health. Health presented Friday to liberal caregiver unions and hospital federations.
The campaign remains far from the records of December-January, with less than 52,000 doses injected on Tuesday, mainly reminders, according to the daily report of the Directorate General of Health (DGS).
Meanwhile, the macabre count of the Covid has further increased by 140 deaths in hospital, bringing the total to 142,784 in France since the start of the pandemic, more than two years ago.
© 2022 AFP