France records more than 61,000 coronavirus infections

Health authorities in France registered more than 61,000 positive coronavirus cases Wednesday, the highest recorded figures since November.

An estimated 61,340 cases were identified and 133 fatalities were recorded in the last 24 hours.

Until last week, the number of daily cases was between 45,000 and 49,000.

The fifth wave is regarded as highly contagious and is progressing rapidly across the country.

Several hospitals have activated the crisis emergency response known as the "white plan" by increasing bed capacities in critical care and augmenting medical resources and staff services to care for coronavirus patients.

Officials in the public health service have noted an increase in admissions to intensive care units, the majority of whom are unvaccinated patients.
But President Emmanuel Macron is hopeful that the French will spend a peaceful Christmas.

In an interview with France Bleu Pays d'Auvergne radio station, he said the forthcoming holidays will be without any major restrictions in terms of lockdowns or curfews due to the "proportionate response and collective efforts" of the nation's health pass and vaccinations undertaken during the summer.