More people are testing for Covid than ever before in Monaco, however the rate of infection, known as the incidence rate, has finally stabilised at a high 1,953.
According to the latest government figures, there were 10,616 PCR and antigen tests conducted in the Principality in the week from 10th to 16th January. These figures track the tests performed on both residents and non-residents, such as workers and students.
It is the highest weekly screening rate ever seen in the Principality, and doesn’t count the number of auto-tests that are also being taken by people at home.
It equates to over 1,200 more tests than the previous week, and 3,500 more than the week before that.
But while screening has increased, the positivity rate has not, remaining at around 12%.
For the first time since mid-October 2021, the incidence rate has stabilised at 1,953, compared to 1,966 the week prior.
In October, the rate was 59 and 52.
The news will come as a relief to the Principality’s health care system, which is struggling to cope with the fifth wave.
As of 17th January, there were 35 Covid patients being cared for at the CHPG, 21 of whom are residents, while five other patients were in ICU, including one resident.
The Home Monitoring Centre is following 373 residents with mild symptoms.
The Principality has recorded 44 Covid-related deaths from a total of 6,837 cases.
The fight against poverty was highlighted to more than 500 primary and secondary school children from Monaco as they voted for their favourite short films as part of the 11th edition of the Cinema for Change festival.
Taking place at the Théâtre des Variétés, the Cinema for Change festival, formerly called ‘Le Temps Presse’, took place on 13th January as part of a committed approach to 17 sustainable development goals set out by the United Nations back in 2015, through the power of film.
The goal is to raise awareness of international solidarity as well as development issues. In total, there are nine prizes awarded, of which three are youth prizes. The entries for the Children’s Prize were narrowed down to four short films, which were then screened by 26 classes from eight Monaco schools and voted on to select their favourite.
The votes from the Monegasque contingent will be added to those from other child jury members from France and four other partner nations. Prior to this selection, the students from the Sciences Po Paris, Middle East-Mediterranean campus in Menton voted on 28th November.
This educational activity is part of a partnership agreement signed in 2014, by which the Department of International Cooperation and the campuses work together to raise students’ awareness of development issues and the fight against poverty in the world.
The grand prize awards ceremony for the Cinema for Change Festival will be held next April in Paris.
Photo by Stephane Danna, Government Communication Department
About a hundred Princess Grace Hospital staff are currently Covid positive, leaving shortages at the facility at a time when hospital admissions are on the rise.
The Princess Grace Hospital (CHPG) is experiencing the fifth wave of the pandemic just like the rest of us.
The start of the new year has seen a marked rise in people flocking to the hospital for Covid treatment, and the toll has been taken not only on the populace, but on hospital employees as well.
“Since 3rd January, we have been in a very complicated situation because there are many patients infected with Covid with relatively severe forms,” said Doctor Mathieu Liberatore, Head of Service at the CHPG, in an interview with government channel Monaco info. “But there are also all the other pathologies to be taken care of: non-Covid diseases, in particular cancerous, infectious, or even inflammatory diseases that must absolutely be treated.”
Meanwhile, the hospital is having to cope with around 100 Covid-positive staff on leave, of a total work force of 2,700.
“Like the rest of the population, CHPG staff are also very affected by this fifth wave,” said Doctor Liberatore.
While essential treatments are still being maintained, the doctor says much of the non-essential health care has been postponed, adding, “In all departments, beds are freed up to accommodate Covid patients.”
And the toll on staff, says the doctor, is obvious, with high stress levels and exhaustion on the rise.
“There are days when colleagues find it difficult to cope,” said Doctor Liberatore. “There is physical and psychological fatigue. Colleagues who are on leave must be replaced. It is the other operational agents who replace them, sometimes at short notice. The situation is therefore complicated. We’re hunkering down hoping it will pass quickly, but we know we’re facing another month in this somewhat complicated situation.”
The Prince’s government last week urged people with mild Covid not to go to the emergency room, but to call their GP for guidance. People who have trouble breathing should call 18 or 112.
Anyone with Covid-19 symptoms, which includes fever, fatigue, headache, cough, sore throat, body aches and loss of smell, should contact the Covid call centre on +377 92 05 55 00, which is open seven days a week between 8am and 8pm.
The days of the grotty Beausoleil rest stop are coming to a close on the A8, where renovations will transform underutilised space and offer high-end amenities.
The A8 motorway at Beausoleil is undergoing several big transformations. Not only is the long-awaited new interchange being built, ostensibly to ease traffic congestion in and around the Principality, but the last rest stop on the French road system is about to be renovated, giving it higher end touches and food options.
The first stone of the interchange was laid in July 2021, and as work progresses on the site, the Beausoleil rest area is getting a facelift as well.
The sub-concessioner for the service stop has been handed to fuel distributor Leclerc and the vehicle path is being altered in order to bring together the upper space where the petrol pumps and the shops are with the lower car park, which has been underused.
Some new features include a double terrace to help manage pedestrian access as well as to give visitors a chance to admire the panoramic view.
“Thanks to this terrace, users will have a magnificent 360° view of the sea, the coastal towns, the Principality of Monaco and the mountains behind,” Laura Tardiveau,communications assistant at Vinci Autoroutes, told Monaco Matin. “It is the most beautiful view of the Escota network.”
Other new aspects will be a fresco by Eric Garance and premium macaroons sold by Pradier. The building itself will be extended and will have two quick stop establishments, La Croissanterie and Comptoir Café.
“The Côte d’Azur illustrator Eric Garance will paint a large fresco representing the Côte d’Azur above the corner reserved for regional products,” added Tardiveau.
The service areas of La Scoperta and Beausoleil will change names. The new names have not yet been revealed, but will be made public at the time of the inaugural ceremony of the two areas.
A dominant AS Monaco beat Clermont Foot 4-0 in Philippe Clement’s first game in the home dugout on Sunday, as Wissam Ben Yedder registered a brace on his return.
Prince Albert was also in attendance as he watched the Principality side secure their first league win of 2022 in the first game of the year played at the Stade Louis II.
Monaco began at a high tempo and were unlucky not to be rewarded in the opening minutes of the match. Sofiane Diop was felled in the box and the penalty was given, but following a lengthy VAR review, the decision was overturned, perplexing Clement who, after the game, said, “I was not happy not getting the penalty, it seemed to me a clear penalty… and Sofiane told me after the game that it was a clear penalty.”
Despite the setback, Monaco continued to dominate. Gelson Martins should have got on the scoresheet, but his close-range shot was well blocked by the outstretched arm of the keeper, whilst Kevin Volland should have done better with his two headed chances, none of which he could direct on target.
Monaco did finally get their reward on the stroke of half-time, Diop latching onto an acrobatic flick from the ubiquitous Jean Lucas to open the scoring.
Clermont posed little to no threat throughout the encounter, the wildlife in attendance at the stadium highlighting the one-sided nature of this contest. A large group of pigeons occupied the space behind the untested Monaco defence for large swathes of the match. They even changed halves as the players did at half-time, confident in the knowledge that their feeding wouldn’t be threatened by a Clermont offensive, meaning they could continue to peck away at the rich Stade Louis II turf unperturbed by the ongoing match.
The continued presence of pigeons on pitch highlighted the one-sided nature of this contest
Ismail Jakobs gave way for the returning Ben Yedder at half-time. He showed no lingering effects from his recent Covid infection as he quickly got on the scoresheet, converting an irresistible Caio Henrique cross.
The French international striker doubled up soon after. Having been played in on goal by Diop, he was wiped out by the keeper. He quickly picked himself up and converted from the spot, registering his 12th goal of the Ligue 1 season, making him joint top scorer in the division.
Henrique’s late fourth was the cherry on the cake, as the Brazilian netted his first goal for the club. Clermont finally showed some fight late-on, but couldn’t convert a flurry of chances for a consolation goal.
In the post-match press conference, Clement told the assembled media that he was particularly pleased with his side’s second half performance. “Second-half you see after scoring the second goal, that freed a lot of players, and we scored two more, but it could have been even more than four goals today.”
The win allows Monaco to close in on the podium, with rivals Marseille dropping points. If other results go their way, a win against Montpellier next Sunday could see them within a point of the top three.
The French parliament gave the thumbs up to the controversial vaccine pass on Sunday, excluding unvaccinated people from restaurants, cinemas and other venues.
It’s official. France now has a vaccine pass, following in the steps of several of its European neighbours, which they hope will help in the struggle to contain the Covid virus.
Despite being unpopular with anti-vaxers, the lower house of parliament gave a strong show of support for a vaccine pass, voting 215 for and 58 against. It will soon replace the current health pass system and requires proof of inoculation in order for people to use or enter public places such as cafes, cinemas, restaurants, trade shows and long-distance trains. It only applies to people aged 16 and over.
A simple health pass (a negative test, complete vaccination certificate or recovery certificate) will remain valid for people over 12-years-old to access health establishments and medico-social services, except for emergencies, for patients and those accompanying them.
Minors between the ages of 12 and 15 will still be required to present the current health pass to access leisure activities, restaurants and bars, fairs or interregional public transport.
Meanwhile, presenting a pass belonging to someone else and passing on a pass to someone to be used fraudulently will now be an offence punishable by a fixed fine of €1,000 for the first offence, compared with the current €135.
Possession of several false passes will be punishable by five years in prison plus a fine of €75,000.
President Emmanuel Macron has been outspoken on his stance on the matter, telling Le Parisien last week that he wanted to “piss off” the unvaccinated, virtually forcing them to get their jabs by making their lives complicated.
The move comes in an election year, and though Macron has not said he is officially running for a second term, it is widely expected he will announce his candidacy soon.
Thousands protested against the bill in Paris and other French cities including Nice on Saturday, but the numbers were greatly diminished over the previous week when Macron’s remarks were still fresh.
France has been seeing six-digit daily cases, including some record-breaking days when the case numbers were over 300,000. On Sunday, there were 278,129 new confirmed infections, but only 98 deaths, making this fifth wave far less deadly than the previous one. Additionally, patients who require ICU treatment are also way down from the March-April 2020 peaks.
The Ministry of Health said on Saturday that almost 78% of the population is fully vaccinated, according to the latest estimates.
Photo by Jeremy Bezanger on Unsplash
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