France reports lowest number of COVID-19 deaths in 7 months

France’s daily COVID-19 death toll fell to a more than seven-month low of 70 on Sunday, while the seven-day moving average of daily new cases slipped below the 13,000 level for the first time since late 2020.

Health ministry figures published on Sunday also showed the number of people being treated for the disease in intensive care units (ICUs) has fallen for the 20th consecutive day, by 29 to 3,515, almost half the total five weeks ago.

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France has been gradually loosening its lockdown since the start of May and hopes to lift all major restrictions by the end of June.

The country’s COVID-19 contact-tracing app has now been downloaded by 16.5 million people, or 24.6 percent of the French population, the minister for digital affairs said earlier, surpassing the minimum level it needed to work efficiently.

After a slow start, France’s vaccination campaign has been gaining pace lately, with 34.5 percent of the total population having received at least one shot as of Sunday and 14.5 percent two shots.

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