PARIS, May 2 — France reported 195 new coronavirus deaths in hospitals on Saturday, down from 270 on Friday, while the number of people in intensive care units with the disease fell for the fifth straight day.

These trends appeared to support President Emmanuel Macron’s decision to start unwinding the country’s third lockdown starting from Monday.

The number of people in intensive care units decreased by 94 over 24 hours, to 5,581, the health ministry reported.

There were also 25,670 new confirmed virus infections, taking the total to 5.6 million — the world’s fourth-highest.

France started its third national lockdown at the end of March after suffering a rise in Covid-19 deaths and case numbers. Macron is hoping the effects of that lockdown, along with an accelerated vaccination campaign, will improve France’s Covid-19 figures.

Under pressure from business and a weary public, Macron announced on Friday a four-phase plan to wind down the current lockdown. — Reuters