While the arrival in France of more contagious variants of the coronavirus makes epidemiologists fear an epidemic rebound, health authorities have identified 22,848 new infections on Thursday.
The bar of 25,000 positive cases recorded in one day was exceeded Wednesday (26,784) for the second time only in January.
The upward trend in hospitalizations of Covid-19 patients continues, with the number of patients in intensive care at the highest level since mid-December, according to figures from Public Health France.
Nearly 72,000 deaths since the start of the epidemic
The health authority in fact counts 2,866 people treated in these services reserved for severely ill patients, a figure never reached since December 15, and which has continued to increase for eleven days.
The total number of hospitalized patients climbed to 25,699, the highest since December 8.
These are 253 patients who entered intensive care in 24 hours, and 1759 in hospital.
As for deaths, Public Health France has identified 71,998 since the start of the epidemic, including 358 recorded in the last 24 hours in hospital.
