Although situation is currently improving and the ninth fresh wave seems to have passed its peak, Christmas and New Years Eve celebrations concern local health authorities and experts who continue harping on the pressing need to respect social distancing, mask-wearing in closed, crowded or poorly ventilated locations.
In addition to the high case and death toll in France, hospitalization toll increased to 25,395 in the last 24 hours, 1,452 of them in ICUs.
As for France´s Covid-19 incidence rating, it dropped to 522 infection per 100,000 inhabitants, after exceeding 600 cases a week ago.
Pll/lam/wmr
