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French President Emmanuel Macron has announced night-time curfews for Paris and many other major cities in the country in the fight against the coronavirus. These curfews would apply from Saturday between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. for at least four weeks, Macron said in a TV interview on Wednesday evening.
In addition to the greater Paris area, the metropolitan areas of Grenoble, Lille, Rouen, Lyon, Aix-Marseille, Saint-Étienne, Toulouse and Montpellier were affected, Macron said. The blockade applies to cinemas, restaurants, theaters, among others. There had been speculation about this measure before. There will be controls and penalties, the head of state announced. Violations would be subject to a fine of 135 euros.
The goal is to keep the economy alive – help for the companies will continue. “We will continue to work”, Macron emphasized. “We have not lost control,” he also stressed, but the situation was “worrying”.
27,000 new infections in one day
The corona situation in the country has been deteriorating for weeks. France, with a population of around 67 million, reported almost 27,000 new infections within 24 hours at the weekend – a record.
The highest corona warning level applies in numerous French metropolises, including Paris and Lyon. Bars are already closed, and stricter hygiene measures apply in restaurants. Experts blame private celebrations and parties for the spread of the virus. The situation in the capital is particularly worrying. There, the number of Covid-19 patients in intensive care units continues to rise.
In spring France had already imposed very strict exit restrictions in the fight against the virus. People were only allowed to leave with a form, time in the fresh air and also the range of movement was limited. In some places there were night curfews in this context. Curfews were also imposed in some places during the 2005 suburban riots.
— Hector Pascua, with reports from AFP and oe24.at. Picture: stockilyapp.com
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