France recorded 9,843 new cases of Covid-19 in 24 hours, a record since the start of the epidemic and the launch of large-scale tests, the Directorate General of Health announced on Thursday.
Nearly 50,000 new cases (48,542) were recorded in a week during which more than a million tests were carried out.
Live: LIVE - Covid-19: the epidemic reaches 9,843 new cases in France
Since the start of the epidemic in France six months ago, 10 million tests have been carried out in total.
At the same time, the positivity rate (proportion of the number of people tested positive compared to the total number of people tested) continues to increase: it reached 5.4% between September 1 and 7.
The number of patients entering an intensive care unit was 54 over the past 24 hours, bringing the total to 615. They were 71 on Wednesday and more than 80 on Tuesday and Monday.
Last week, the average was around 50. The Ile de France, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, Occitanie and Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur regions account for 68% of patients in intensive care.
Nineteen people have died from Covid-19 since Wednesday, bringing the number of deaths since the start of the epidemic in France to 30,813.
In detail, 20,338 people died in hospitals and 10,475 in social and medico-social establishments, including nursing homes.
A defense council meets on Friday and will take measures to "
give visibility over the coming weeks
", according to Emmanuel Macron.
