Laughter on the terrace, a film screening or a visit to the museum ... After six months of closure, France found this Wednesday some of its leisure and a little freedom, against the backdrop of the decline of the epidemic.
These reopenings mark the second stage of the deconfinement in four phases announced at the end of April by Emmanuel Macron.
It is to continue on June 9 with the reopening of indoor cafes and restaurants, less strict gauges and a curfew delayed to 11 p.m. which should then disappear on June 30 if the situation permits.
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According to the latest figures from the health authorities, the period is lull.
In hospitals, for starters, where the tension is decreasing.
This is verified on the total number of hospitalized patients.
This Wednesday, 21,347 Covid-19 patients were still being cared for in French establishments, against 22,058 Tuesday and 24,254 seven days ago.
In the past 24 hours, 712 new patients had to be hospitalized.
Less than 4,000 patients in critical care
The lull also appears to be reaching critical care services.
This Wednesday, the number of patients hospitalized in these specialized services symbolically returns below 4,000, with 3,862 patients treated.
They were 4,015 Tuesday and 4,583 just seven days ago.
In terms of mortality, a more variable data, the authorities deplore in the last 24 hours 141 new deaths linked to Covid-19, against 187 Tuesday and 185 last Wednesday.
The total of deaths crosses the threshold of 108,181 dead on Wednesday.
Regarding contamination, Public Health France announces 19,050 new infections detected in the last 24 hours, against 17,210 the day before and still 21,498 seven days ago.
19,050 new cases were identified in 24 hours, or 13,676 per day on average over the past week (average slightly underestimated because of Ascension Thursday).
# Covid19 pic.twitter.com/iz9OJWrzro
- Nicolas Berrod (@nicolasberrod) May 19, 2021
There remains the vaccination.
This Tuesday, the Directorate General of Health (DGS) indicates that, since the start of the vaccination campaign in France, 21,555,516 people have received at least one injection (i.e. 32.2% of the total population and 41% of major population) and 9,260,992 people received two injections (13.8% of the total population and 17.6% of the major population).