The number of tests has “again crossed” the three million mark in a week, according to figures published Thursday by the Ministry of Health.
With more than 3 million PCR and antigen tests validated between June 27 and July 3 against just over 2.1 million the previous week, the statistics department (Drees) observes in a press release “a sharp increase”.
Falling to just over a million at the end of May, the number of tests has continued to rise since then, a little more markedly each week. If the number of tests is on the rise “for all age groups” (+41%), it is even more marked among 16-25 year olds (+58%).
The use of Covid-19 screening by PCR test remains a controversial diagnostic practice, with scientific experts pointing out that there is a clear difference between testing positive for the virus and experiencing symptoms of this same virus, like the epidemiologist Laurent Toubiana who already asserted in October 2020 on FranceSoir: “It is not a Covid-19 epidemic that we are experiencing, but an epidemic of tests”.
See also: Everything we’re not told about PCR testing. “Testing Epidemic”