PARIS (Reuters) – France on Saturday reported a drop in new COVID-19 infections and in the number of patients treated in hospital, reducing pressure on the health system while the country makes shots with a third vaccine allowed.
The country registered 20,586 new COVID-19 cases, down from 22,139 the previous day and marks the third straight daily drop.
Hospitals were treating 27,369 people for the disease, down 245 from the previous day in a fourth consecutive daily fall.
The number of COVID-19 patients in intensive care dropped to 3,225, down 20 from the previous day, data showed.
The government has resisted calls from health experts to implement a new national ban but the rate of new cases every day has been relatively stable above 20,000.
The number of people in France who received the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine has reached 1.86 million, with 247,260 also receiving the second dose, the health ministry said.
France has received a batch of COVID-19 vaccine developed by AstraZeneca, with 273,600 doses delivered, the ministry said in a statement.
The first AstraZeneca photos are being reserved for under-65 health workers, with the first injection taking place on Saturday.
A second batch of 304,800 doses will be delivered next week.
AstraZeneca is the third view presented in France after Pfizer / BioNTech and Moderna.
France relies on the AstraZeneca bullet to accelerate a vaccination campaign for a slow start. However, it may receive less than originally expected after a series of production talks between the company and the European Union.
The ministry reported 191 new COVID-19-related deaths, bringing France’s cumulative death toll in hospitals and nursing homes to 78,794.
Reporting by Gus Trompiz and Caroline Pailliez, Editing by Timothy Heritage and Nick Macfie