France joins the US, India, Brazil, UK and Russia with more than 10 million cases.
Paris:
France has become the sixth country in the world to report more than 10 million COVID-19 infections since the outbreak of the pandemic, according to official data released on Saturday.
French health authorities reported 219,126 new confirmed cases in a 24-hour period, the fourth day in a row the country recorded more than 200,000 cases.
France joins the United States, India, Brazil, Great Britain and Russia with more than 10 million cases.
Saturday’s number was the second-highest after Friday’s record 232,200 as French President Emmanuel Macron warned the next few weeks would be difficult.
In his New Year’s Eve speech, Macron did not mention the need for more restrictive health measures than those already announced, adding that the government should exercise restraint to limit further. individual liberties.
But the government said earlier on Saturday that from Monday, wearing face masks in public spaces will be mandatory for children under the age of six compared to 11 years old.
And a number of major cities, including Paris and Lyon, have reintroduced mask-wearing on the streets for everyone.
The seven-day moving average of new cases in France, which eliminates daily reporting irregularities, rose to an all-time high of 157,651 – a nearly 5-fold increase in a month.
The number of people hospitalized with COVID-19 rose 96 in 24 hours, standing at a more than seven-month high of 18,811. But that’s still nearly half of the record 33,497 hit in November 2020.
The death toll from COVID-19 rose 110 in 24 hours to 123,851, the 12th highest globally. The seven-day moving average of new daily deaths hit 186, the highest since May 14.
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and was automatically generated from the feed provided.)
