PARIS: The situation in France's hospitals continues to worsen as health authorities reported that more than 4, 970 patients with Covid-19 occupied beds in intensive care units on Monday.
This is more than at the peak of the second wave of the pandemic last autumn, when authorities counted just over 4, 900 people in intensive care units in November. In spring 2020, however, the number was much higher, at more than 7, 000, DPA news agency reported.
The coronavirus situation in France is extremely tense. More than 40 doctors sounded the alarm over the weekend because of the worrying situation in intensive care units in the greater Paris area.
They warned it might come to triage in the hospitals there, as occupancy rate of intensive care units is well over 100 per cent.
France's statistics office Insee also reported on Monday that mortality in 2020 was unusually high because of Covid-19. Compared to the previous year, the number of deaths had increased by more than 9 per cent, Insee said.
"Such an increase in mortality has not been recorded in France for 70 years, " it added. This increase was strikingly higher than that observed during the severe flu and heat waves of recent years, it said.
France has had an evening curfew in place for months, with people not allowed outside after 7 pm without a valid reason.
In many districts, including Paris, even stricter rules are in place. Many shops there have closed and freedom of movement is once again restricted.