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French Covid infections continue rising as Macron hesitates to reconfine

By RFI
France  Alain JocardAFP
JAN 27, 2021 LISTEN
© Alain Jocard/AFP

Daily Covid infections in France stayed above 20,000 for the fourth day in a row on Tuesday, with hospitalisations reaching an eight-week high, adding fuel for those calling for a third national lockdown, which President Emmanuel Macron wants to avoid.

Health authorities on Tuesday reported 22,086 new Covid-19 infections over the previous 24 hours, up from Monday's 4,240 cases, and close to last Tuesday's 23,608.

The number of Covid cases in intensive care units reached 3,081. The government relaxed the second lockdown on 15 December after ICU cases dropped below 3,000.

Doctors have called for the government to impose a new lockdown to curb the current rise in cases, likely due to the emergence of more contagious variants of the virus.

But Macron is hesitating, holding out hope that the 6pm curfew put in place since 16 January will be enough.

Macron will head the weekly Cabinet meeting on Wednesday and a government press conference is scheduled for Thursday.

Some 91,500 people received their first vaccine shot in France on Tuesday, bringing the total since vaccinations began on 27 December to 1,184,510, out of a population of 67 million.

(with Reuters)

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