French health officials declared an end to the country's COVID-19 outbreak on Monday.
France had confirmed 12 cases of the coronavirus since it first reached the country on January 24. Unfortunately, one of those patients died from their infection. But the French-language news outlet Le Parisien reports that the remaining 11 have all made complete recoveries — meaning there are no longer any COVID-19 cases in any French hospital.
There are "no longer any hospitalized patients in France," said Health Minister Olivier Véran, in French. "The last one is cured and is no longer contagious."
It's certainly possible that French officials will soon report more infections, however. People could have been infected but not yet displayed symptoms or sought medical help, and international travel could reintroduce the virus to France down the road.
Véran suggested that children should still be kept home from school if they passed through regions affected by the outbreak — so it's too soon to say that France is totally out of the woods.
But, even if it ends up being a short-lived triumph, dropping the COVID-19 tally down to zero within the country is a major relief.
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READ MORE: DIRECT. Coronavirus : «Pas de malade ce soir sur le territoire national», affirme Olivier Véran [Le Parisien]
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