The number of virological screening tests for Covid-19 carried out in France is dropping sharply.
This is the second week in a row that this trend is emerging, according to official data published on Thursday, in the context of containment and while health authorities ensure that the "peak" of the second wave has now passed.
Between November 16 and 22, around 1.4 million virological tests (RT-PCR) were carried out, against 1.8 million the previous week and 2.3 million at the beginning of November, indicates the Directorate of Research, studies, evaluation and statistics (Drees).
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"In a context of confinement, in the space of two weeks, the observed drop rose to 900,000, and the number of tests returned to the level observed in mid-October, or even at the end of September", underlines this service dependent on the Ministry of Health.
Consequence: results arrive faster
As a result of this reduced volume, the time taken to obtain results "is significantly shortened": "66% of RT-PCR tests validated last week were taken within 24 hours (compared to 52% the week of 9 to November 15), a level that had not been reached since mid-June, ”said Drees.
The proportion of tests validated in less than 48 hours is also increasing: 93% against 84% the previous week.