Raissa's Blog - Best of Sports, Culture, and Entertainment

In the UK, 357 persons died from Covid-19 on Thursday, taking the country's official total death count to 40,261. Figures from the UK's Office for National Statistics (ONS) reveal a much higher death toll, suggesting the UK's death toll from the virus currently exceeds 50,000. The UK is the second country to report more than 40,000 deaths; the first being the US with more than 108,000 fatalities. Italy, previously Europe's worst-hit country, has recorded 33,600 deaths from Covid-19. So far, about 5.2 million people have been tested in the UK, with 283,311 people testing positive.

On Tuesday, April 7, France became the fourth country to hit and surpass the 10,000 coronavirus deaths milestone - a rather grim milestone. In France, 7,091 coronavirus deaths were recorded in hospital and 3,237 in old age homes - a total of 10,328 deaths. 597 coronavirus deaths were recorded in hospitals on Tuesday. Italy, Spain and the United States are the other three countries that have registered more than 10,000 deaths from Covid-19 complications. Jérôme Salomon, the head of France's public health authority, told a press conference: "We are in the ascending phase of the epidemic, even if it is slowing a bit," he warned. "We have not yet reached the peak." According to Johns Hopkins University data, the global number of confirmed coronavirus cases now exceed 1.3 million, including more than 285,000 recoveries and more than 75,000 deaths.

On Sunday, April 5, France reported its lowest daily coronavirus death toll in a week - 357 deaths. The total number of deaths from the virus now stands at 8,078. This number consists of 2,189 people in old age homes and other medical facilities and 5,889 patients who died in hospital. 748 more people were admitted in hospital for coronavirus treatment. The total number of hospitalized coronavirus patients in France now stands at 28,891. 6,948 of those hospitalized are in a critical state in intensive care. The number of coronavirus cases in the country now stands at 92,839.

On Tuesday, March 31, France reported its highest daily coronavirus death toll with 499 deaths - a 17% increase. Its total death tally from the virus now stands at 3,523. France's death toll only includes those who died in hospital, and excludes those who die in old people's homes or in personal homes. Its total number of coronavirus cases has increased to 52,128 - a 17% increase in 24 hours - following an increase of 5,565 new cases. At a news conference, State health agency director Jérôme Salomon said the steep rise in cases was a result of ramped up testing in the country. France is in its third week of lockdown and has increased its ICU (Intensive Care Unit) beds from 5,000 to about 10,000 and its goal is to reach 14,500. 22,757 are currently hospitalized with Covid-19 in the country, including 5,565 in intensive care.

France's confirmed coronavirus cases as of Saturday, March 23 (morning) stand at 32,964, and deaths, 1995. French President Emmanuel Macron imposed a lockdown on March 17, due to last all month long to slow the spread of the coronavirus in the country. The lockdown has now been extended to April 15 as the country recorded its highest daily death toll on Friday, announced France's Prime Minister Édouard Philippe. After a cabinet meeting held by videoconference, the PM made a statement: "We find ourselves in a crisis that will last, in a health situation that will not improve any time soon. Frédéric Valletoux, president of the French Hospitals Federation told French broadcaster BFM TV: "We will be at the limit of our capacities in 24 or 48 hours. We will need to show real solidarity between regions, hospitals and increase the numbers of patient transfers. "If we let hospitals cope by themselves, and let every territory that has been swept by the epidemi...

On Wednesday, March, 18, French health agency director Jerome Salome gave new reports about the coronavirus outbreak in France, at a press briefing. He said the number of new infections from the virus had risen to 9,134, up from 7,730 on Tuesday - an increase of 1404 new cases. He added that 931 of the country's coronavirus cases were critically sick, needing life support. The death tally from the virus also increased by almost 51% as 89 new deaths were registered. The new death tally stands at 264. France is in its second day of lockdown and the government has deployed around 100,000 police and gendarmes across the country to enforce lockdown rules. People are only allowed to leave home for officially sanctioned reasons like getting medical treatment, shopping for necessities and going to work. Globally, more than 205,470 people have been infected with the novel coronavirus, and more than 8,500 of those have died as per a Johns Hopkins University report.