Health authorities in France have recorded a surge in confirmed cases of the coronavirus pandemic on Saturday ahead of the night-time curfew imposed in the French capital, Paris, and eight other cities across the country.
On Thursday, a total of 30,621 confirmed infections were recorded, according to the official data. Meanwhile, the World Health Organization (WHO) has also warned the French authorities that tough restrictions are very necessary to save thousands of lives and curb the second wave.
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- Coronavirus: France Records Two-Month High In Cases
- France rules out ‘total lockdown’ in case of coronavirus surge
As the government battles the second wave and rising coronavirus infections, millions of people in Europe have been told to live under the strict measures to curb the further spread of the pandemic. In London, indoor socializing will be banned from Saturday, and other areas across Britain will also be put on high coronavirus alert.
Meanwhile, since the other European countries have initiated mass testing, including Italy, Poland, and Germany, also recorded an alarming surge in the coronavirus cases. Since the start of the pandemic, Russian health authorities have also recorded its highest number of daily deaths, with nearly 286 people dead.
The global health agency has urged the European nations to take strict actions to curb the further spread of the respiratory disease as the continent passes the 1,000-daily death from coronavirus. On Wednesday, the French president, Emmanuel Macron, introduced new restrictions to combat the rising infections. The residents of the hard-hit cities, including Lyon, Paris, and Marseille, will not be able to leave their homes after 9:00 PM. The new restrictions are expected to remain in place for at least four weeks and are subject to the situation.
Furthermore, Jean Castex, the French PM, said that police officers and law enforcement agencies would be deployed in the cities to enforce the curfew. However, residents will be allowed to leave their houses for work or hospitals and other essentials.
Besides that, the incumbent government has also faced severe criticism over its handling of the coronavirus, particularly for the shortage of important medical equipment and slow response. As part of the police’s investigation into the handling of the pandemic, it raided that houses of senior government and health officials, local media confirmed on Thursday.
But the situation in Europe is much better as the death rate is four times lower than in March, but experts have maintained that more young people are testing positive in this new wave. Dr. Hans Kluge, the European Director of the WHO, said that the situation in Europe was not “optimistic.”
