France becomes Europe’s worst-hit country by Omicron after registering 271,686 daily infections

Hospitalisations for Covid in the country reach similar rate to May 2021

France has introduced new measures to tackle rising Covid infections, including vaccine passes and travel restrictions (EPA)

France has recorded another record daily rate of coronavirus infections.

The country is facing a wave of Omicron cases that has seen infections rise over 270,000 a day.

Some 271,686 positive cases were recorded in the last 24 hours, according to data from Public Health France. Before that, the highest figure to date was 232,000 on 31 December.

The rising Covid rates in France have given the country the worst statistics in Europe. The UK reported 218,274 daily cases on Tuesday and Germany reported 30,561.

Hospitals are starting to see the pressure from the increasing infections, too. Some 20,186 were in hospital with Covid on Monday and such a high figure had not been recorded since May 2021.

Some 3,655 patients are currently in intensive care, 299 more than the day before.

Covid patients are now filling more than 72 per cent of France’s ICU beds and most of those being treated have not been vaccinated.

Omicron has spread rapidly in France. The threshold of 100,000 daily Covid infections was crossed for the first time in the country on 25 December, and the 200,000 milestone was crossed four days later.

The positivity rate of tests has also increased, with 15 per cent of people now testing positive – a figure close to the rate in autumn 2020.

On Tuesday, the French parliament debated the introduction of vaccination passes for children aged between 12 and 17-years-old.

The government backed a measure which would allow unvaccinated children to enjoy cultural and sporting activities if they could show a negative Covid test.

The minister for health, Olivier Veran, said: “We are not going to deprive them of culture, of sport, we will allow them to access these activities”, explaining that access to the vaccine depends on the children’s parents.

Scientists in France also recently discovered a new variant of coronavirus, which has 46 mutations.

Named IHU, the new B.1.640.2 variant has so far been detected in 12 people living in southeastern France.