The number of patients in France in intensive care as a result of the coronavirus pandemic continued to fall on Saturday, with 1,665 patients. This was a drop of 36 in 24 hours, according to a statement issued by the French health authorities.
The total number of patients in intensive care "remains high" with 5,600 patients suffering from all causes, not just Covid-19.
In addition, the number of people in hospital with coronavirus in France fell to 17,178 on Saturday. This is a drop of 205 since Friday and continues a gradual decline that has lasted more than five weeks since a high of 32,292 on April 14.
The next complete death toll update will officially be released on Monday May 26, as this is a holiday weekend in France.
The latest death toll was 28,289 in France on Friday evening, with 74 additional deaths recorded in hospital between Thursday and Friday by Santé Publique France in hospitals alone. Crucially, this total does not include deaths recorded in care homes and other similar establishments since Thursday.
Since the beginning of the epidemic, 100,225 people have been hospitalised in France, including 17,701 in intensive care. 64,547 people have been sent home cured from hospital.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP)
