More than 3,500 new cases of Covid-19 have been recorded in France in the past 24 hours, according to figures released on Saturday August 22 by Santé Publique France.
On the last day, 3,602 new positive diagnoses were recorded, against 4,586 on Friday. The percentage of positive tests continues to increase slightly, to 3.5% from 3.4% on Friday. 38 new foci of grouped cases (clusters) were detected, also indicated Public Health France.
In total, 4,711 people are hospitalized for a Covid-19 infection, a figure down slightly (they were 4,745 on Friday, 4,748 on Thursday). The number of patients in intensive care (380) is stable compared to Friday (379).
30,512 people have died in France since the start of the epidemic (23 more deaths since Friday), including 20,001 in hospitals and 10,511 in social and medico-social establishments (a figure which dates from Tuesday and will be updated on 25 August).
An eighth department, Loiret, has been classified as a high vulnerability level. The other seven departments in this case are Bouches-du-Rhône, Guyana, Hérault, Paris, Sarthe, Seine-Saint-Denis and Val-de-Marne.
30 other departments are at a moderate level of vulnerability.