Figures, government announcements and international situation: update on the weekend news concerning the Covid-19 pandemic.
France: decrease in intensive care admissions
327 Covid-19 patients were admitted to intensive care on Saturday, bringing the number of people hospitalized in intensive care to 4,855, a drop from Friday (4,887 people), according to figures released Saturday, November 14 by Public Health France.
The tension in the intensive care unit remains high, but drops slightly to reach levels at the end of October.
The number of hospitalizations exceeds the peak reached in the spring
This week, the number of hospitalizations linked to the new coronavirus surpassed the peak reached in the first wave, in the spring, which was 32,292 patients on April 14.
The test positivity rate continues to fall: 17.3% against more than 20% at the beginning of November.
A vaccine soon available?
While pharmaceutical giant Pfizer announced this week that it has developed a vaccine that is 90% effective, the French government remains on its guard: “There is the Pfizer project, but also many others in the testing phase. You have to prepare while remaining careful ”, said Jean Castex.
“Living with the virus over the long term”
Asked Saturday by the daily Le Monde, Prime Minister Jean Castex indicated that it would be necessary “Living with the virus over the long term” and that he was working on ” rules “ for the country until the arrival of a vaccine
“One thing is certain: festive and family gatherings in party rooms will not be able to resume for a long time. Likewise, bars and restaurants will not be able to reopen from December 1st, unlike toy stores, for example ”, he detailed.
Marseille: controls will tighten
While catering professionals demonstrated on Saturday November 14 to demand the reopening of restaurants, the Bouches-du-Rhône police prefect, Emmanuel Barbe, announced his intention to tighten controls: ” What we want is ultimately to cut the urge to go out, so that people stay at home “.
Contamination, restrictive measures and international demonstrations
In Portugal, after the nighttime curfew introduced last Monday, a weekend curfew came into effect on Saturday 14th for 70% of the population. Next week, 80% of the population will be affected. In the afternoon, 500 demonstrators braved restrictions in Lisbon for a “march for freedom”.
Greece will close its primary schools and nurseries, Ukraine its non-essential businesses for three weekends and Austria has imposed lockdown until December 6.
Elsewhere in the world, the number of contaminations is increasing on all continents, with the exception of Oceania. Lebanon confined itself on Saturday in an attempt to relieve the now saturated hospitals. The United States remains the most bereaved country in the world, with 245,574 dead according to the latest toll.
