A man walks across a city square in Arras, Pas-de-Calais, France, March 7, 2021. (Photo by Sai Basidian kuerji/Xinhua)
Since the outbreak, 3,932,862 people have been diagnosed with COVID-19 in France, the world's sixth-highest tally after the United States, India, Brazil, Russia and the United Kingdom.
PARIS, March 9 (Xinhua) -- France on Tuesday reported 23,302 COVID-19 infections over the past 24 hours, while the number of hospitalized patients continued to rise, piling pressure on hospitals.
Since the outbreak, 3,932,862 people have been diagnosed with COVID-19 in France, the world's sixth-highest tally after the United States, India, Brazil, Russia and the United Kingdom, according to figures posted on the government's epidemic information website.
Six more people were hospitalized for the virus infection in the last 24 hours, taking the total to 25,201, while 3,918 patients were in intensive care, up by 69 from Monday, marking its highest level since Nov. 26.
An empty street is seen during a weekend lockdown in Arras, Pas-de-Calais, France, March 7, 2021. (Photo by Sai Basidian kuerji/Xinhua)
In one day, the respiratory illness had claimed 368 lives, pushing the death toll to 89,301, the daily data showed.
So far, 3,996,329 people in France have received at least the first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. The rollout focused first on elderly, highly vulnerable people and frontline medical staff and care workers.
As the world is struggling to contain the pandemic, vaccination is underway in an increasing number of countries with the already-authorized coronavirus vaccines.
Meanwhile, 261 candidate vaccines are still being developed worldwide -- 79 of them in clinical trials -- in countries including Germany, China, Russia, Britain, and the United States, according to information released by the World Health Organization on March 5.
Senior citizens wait before receiving a dose of COVID-19 vaccine at a temporary vaccination center on the first day of its opening, in Clichy, France, Jan. 18, 2021. (Xinhua/Gao Jing)■
