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French authorities are getting ready tighter restrictions in several cities to curtail a surge in Covid-19 cases that would once more overwhelm hospitals, Health Minister Olivier Veran mentioned Thursday.
Veran, who will now maintain weekly press conferences to chart the outbreak’s development, mentioned measures can be introduced for Lyon and Nice by Saturday, after curbs on public gatherings have been imposed this week in Bordeaux and Marseille.
Marseille may see much more restrictions, equivalent to bar closings or a ban on public gatherings, “if the situation doesn’t improve,” he mentioned.
Already the so-called incidence fee, the variety of cases for each 100,000 inhabitants, stands at 200 in Lyon and Nice, which Veran mentioned was 4 instances the virus alert threshold.
And a rising variety of sufferers require intensive care, he mentioned, heightening fears of a surge that might pressure hospitals and well being staff after the pandemic flared in March.
“Our battle is to implement the measures that will avoid an influx at hospitals — it’s a race against the clock,” Veran warned.
“We have to take these decisions at the right time; not too early because they are restrictions, but not too late either.”
Veran additionally urged endurance over Covid-19 assessments following widespread complaints of lengthy waits for appointments and outcomes, particularly in Paris and different massive cities.
Only folks exhibiting signs or with a health care provider’s prescription ought to search assessments, he mentioned, to keep away from a deluge of requests at labs already struggling to sustain.
He mentioned the well being ministry had ordered 5 million antigen take a look at kits, which can provide preliminary readings on Covid-19 contagion in simply 30 minutes, for supply in early October.
And regulatory approval for saliva assessments is anticipated “imminently”, he mentioned.
France has reported almost 10,000 new cases per day over the previous week, prompting officers to urge folks to restrict social gatherings and preserve handwashing and different protecting measures.
Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin advised a Senate panel Thursday that just about 45,000 fines of 135 euros ($160) every had been issued for not sporting a face masks for the reason that nationwide virus lockdown was lifted in mid-May.
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