France Records More Than 50,000 Daily COVID-19 Cases

PARIS, FRANCE —  <p>France on Saturday said more than 50,000 people had tested positive for coronavirus in the past 24 hours, as COVID-19 cases rocketed despite millions receiving a vaccine booster shot.</p> <p>The country recorded 51,624 new daily cases of Covid, health authorities said. France&rsquo;s record daily cases number was nearly 118,000 in mid-April, according to Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center.</p> <p>France has recorded an average of almost 41,000 new cases a day over the past week, compared with less than 28,000 a week ago.</p> <p>Some 694 people had been admitted to hospitals in the past 24 hours, including 119 who were critically ill.</p> <p>The coronavirus killed 113 people over the same period.</p> <p>Cases have shot up as France heads into winter.</p> <p>Health Minister Olivier Veran has for the moment ruled out a lockdown but urged all adults in the country of 67 million to sign up for a third COVID-19 vaccine shot by mid-January.</p> <p>&quot;Ten million French people have gotten a booster jab to maintain their protection against Covid,&quot; he wrote on Twitter.</p> <p>After January 15, residents aged 18 to 64 will have to show proof of a booster vaccine no more than seven months after the second dose to maintain a valid COVID-19 pass, which is required to enter restaurants, bars, gyms and other public venues.</p> <p>In total, 119,457 people have died of COVID-19 in France since the start of the pandemic.</p>