The coronavirus strain Omicron has emerged as the most common in France, where the number of infections has risen dramatically in recent days, according to the country’s public health service.
At the start of this week, 62.4 percent of tests revealed a profile compatible with the Omicron type, up from 15% the previous week, according to the agency’s latest weekly poll released late Thursday. Because the Omicron variety is extremely contagious and has become prominent in other European countries, such as the United Kingdom and Portugal, its spread was expected.
The strain is to blame for the recent spike of instances, which reached 200,000 in the 24 hours between Wednesday and Thursday. Faced with a wave of illnesses, the government issued further restrictions on Monday, requiring people to work from home and limiting the number of people who can attend public events.
More than 3,500 individuals are in intensive care in French hospitals, which are caring for 18,321 Covid-19 patients, including 1,922 additional admissions between Wednesday and Thursday.
Source: france24.com
