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France Records 833 Deaths, the highest Virus Daily Toll, But Spain's Deaths Fall Further to 637, on April 6, 2020

 

While hospitals in France reported a 10% increase in the number of deaths, Spain sees further fall in daily death toll, April 6,  2020

 

France records highest virus daily death toll

France has reported 833 new coronavirus deaths in the past day, the highest daily toll since its outbreak began.

BBC, April 6, 2020

The total number of people who have died after testing positive for Covid-19 now stands at 8,911, while the number of infections is 98,010.

"We have not reached the end of the end of the ascent of this epidemic," warned Health Minister Olivier Véran.

Italy's daily death toll also rose on Monday after several days of slowing, but Spain's fell for a fourth day.

It came as UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson was moved to intensive care at a hospital in London after his Covid-19 symptoms worsened.

Meanwhile, Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel said the pandemic represented the biggest challenge the European Union had ever faced and that her government was ready to contribute to helping the bloc economically.

What are the latest figures from France?

The data released by the French health ministry on Monday evening showed that 605 people had died in hospitals during the past 24 hours and another 228 had died in nursing homes - both 10% increases.

"It is not over. Far from that. The path is long. The figures that I have announced show this," Mr Véran said. "Stay at home and continue this confinement effort."

There was nevertheless some positive news, with the number of people being treated in intensive care only rising by 1.3% to 7,072.

Mr Véran said the government would also start a "vast operation" to screen nursing homes, which account for 27% of the death toll, to better protect residents.

France's Equality Minister, Marlène Schiappa, meanwhile said an abuse hotline had been set up for the perpetrators of domestic violence to seek help, as families struggle under lockdown.

What is happening elsewhere in Europe?

The pandemic has claimed more than 50,000 lives across the continent.

The death toll in Italy is the highest in the world, standing at 16,523.

On Monday, the Italian government reported 636 new deaths. That is 111 higher than Sunday's toll - the lowest since 19 March - but 45 lower than Saturday's. The number of new infections increased by 1,941, but continued a downward trend.

In Spain, the world's second worst hit country, the daily number of deaths continued to fall, boosting hopes that it had passed the outbreak's peak. Monday's increase of 637 - the lowest for 13 days - means 13,055 people have died in total.

María José Sierra, deputy head of Spain's health emergency committee, said the outbreak's growth rate appeared to be slowing down "in almost every region."

In the UK, the Department of Health said on Monday that 439 more people had died in hospital after testing positive for coronavirus, taking the total to 5,373.

It is the second day in a row the figure has fallen. But Professor Dame Angela McLean, the government's deputy chief scientific adviser, said it was too early to say whether social distancing was working and that the outbreak was slowing.

Meanwhile, Denmark's Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen announced plans to re-open primary schools from 15 April, as it looks to gradually ease a lockdown.

But she warned that it would only happen if people respected the current measures and that the number of infections remained stable.

"This will probably be a bit like walking the tightrope. If we stand still along the way we could fall and if we go too fast it can go wrong. Therefore, we must take one cautious step at a time," she told a briefing.

Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz also said he was considering whether to ease restrictions, including allowing some non-essential shops to re-open after Easter.

What is Germany's chancellor saying?

By Damien McGuinness, BBC News, Berlin

"Germany will only do well, if Europe does well," Angela Merkel said on Monday. It was a clear call for solidarity with southern European countries, hit hard by the pandemic. Germany would play its part, she said, both to provide emergency aid and to rebuild the economy.

But what that means exactly is a fierce debate in Germany and it opens old wounds. During the financial crisis a decade ago, Berlin and other northern European countries believed "eurobonds" - sharing debt with weaker southern European economies - undermined the credibility of the entire eurozone.

That position is still held by Mrs Merkel's government, which wants to set up an EU rescue fund and lend using mechanisms set up during the financial crisis.

But the mood is changing in Germany. Economists, politicians and commentators who once railed against mutualising eurozone debt to bail out Greece, are calling for exactly that to help southern Europe deal with the coronavirus crisis.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/france-records-highest-virus-daily-death-toll/ar-BB12eXOY?ocid=spartanntp  

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France records deadliest 24 hours as coronavirus death toll nears 9,000

AFP, 06/04/2020

French hospitals have recorded their deadliest 24-hour period after two days of slowing fatalities. © Benoit Tessier, REUTERS Text by: FRANCE 24 Follow

France on Monday reported that 833 more people had died from coronavirus infections in hospitals and nursing homes over the previous 24 hours, its highest daily toll since the epidemic began.

"We have not reached the end of the ascent of this epidemic," Health Minster Olivier Véran told reporters as he announced the new record toll after several days during which the key data had appeared to improve.

Véran said the latest fatalities had brought the total number killed in the coronavirus epidemic in France to 8,911.

The figures were a reminder to France, which has been in lockdown since March 17, that the coronavirus fight was far from won.

France is now giving a daily combined toll of deaths in hospitals and nursing homes. Previously it had only given the hospital toll on a daily basis.

Of the new deaths, 605 were registered in hospitals, Véran said.

'The path is long'

"It is not over. Far from that. The path is long. The figures that I have announced show this," he said. "Stay at home and continue this confinement effort," he added.

Véran said that 478 more people had gone into intensive care over the last 24 hours, a higher figure than in previous days.

But in more positive news, the health minister said more patients were also leaving intensive care, resulting in a net total of "only" 94 more patients in intensive care, the lowest such figure since the confinement began.

"We see that the confinement has a palpable impact. In France we are beginning to feel it," he added.

Testing campaign at care homes

Véran said that the latest figures from statistical modelling showed that the reproduction rate -- the number of people an average infected person infects -- was falling in France.

If the number is under 1.0 it means the average victim infects less than one person, giving hope that the epidemic will end.

"Thanks to the confinement, this rate is around 1.0 and probably a little under and in some regions clearly under," he explained, though adding: "In other regions it is above 1.0 so this is why we must stay at home."

Véran said that in nursing homes, where a total of 2,417 people have died since the start of the epidemic, a "vast operation" of testing would begin to better protect residents.

(FRANCE 24 with AFP, REUTERS)

https://www.france24.com/en/20200406-france-records-deadliest-24-hours-as-coronavirus-death-toll-nears-9-000

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