The Minister of Health, Olivier Véran, reported on Friday March 11 a “rebound” in the Covid-19 epidemic, highlighting the need for fragile people to “
continue to protect themselves
”.
Read alsoCovid-19: are we witnessing the start of a new epidemic wave?
"
We are currently seeing a rebound, in France, in the countries around us, that is to say that the Covid is no longer falling, it is even increasing
," said the minister during a trip to Isère.
"
Given the latest figures from yesterday, it's a 20% increase
," he said.
The number of new positive cases rose Thursday evening to 74,818, according to Public Health France, against 60,225 a week ago.
“The hospital load continues to drop”
"
On the other hand, the hospital load continues to drop, but the pace of this decrease has started to slow down, so we are extremely vigilant
," continued Olivier Véran.
The critical care services, where the most seriously affected people are treated, received 1,928 patients on Thursday (including 121 who arrived in the last 24 hours), against 1,962 on Wednesday and 2,231 the previous Thursday.
"
We will be on Monday in the objectives that we had set ourselves, so there is no difficulty in going to the end of the process of the end of the vaccination pass and the end of the mask, except in transport
", declared the health Minister.
Three days before this deadline, these objectives are however far from being achieved since Olivier Véran had mentioned in mid-February, before the senators, a passage below the threshold of 1,500 patients in intensive care as well as a situation where the epidemic ceases “
sustainably
" to progress.
In any case, the current rebound “
highlights
”, according to him, “
the need for fragile people to continue to protect themselves
” and to wear the mask.
Read alsoWhere can we travel?
Our map of open countries and restrictions for French tourists
In view of the decline which had begun for several days on the health front, Prime Minister Jean Castex announced at the beginning of the month the end of the wearing of the mask and the suspension of the vaccination pass, from March 14.
Asked about the interest of offering a fourth dose of vaccine, Olivier Véran recalled having seized the High Authority for Health (HAS) on the subject.
“
We do not have the return for the moment from the scientific authorities but it could seem coherent to open this 4th dose to fragile people
”, estimated the minister.
