EPIDEMIC: With Paris and the Bouches-du-Rhône, already under this classification, 21 departments in total are now in the red zone, areas in which there is an active circulation of the coronavirus
The epidemic is gaining ground. Faced with the progression of the coronavirus Covid-19, the government has placed 19 new departments in the red zone. Prime Minister Jean Castex says he wants to “do everything” to avoid “generalized re-containment”.
With Paris and the Bouches-du-Rhône, already under this classification, a total of 21 departments are now in the red zone. These are areas in which there is an active circulation of the virus. The government notes an “indisputable recrudescence of the epidemic” which “progresses on all the territory”, with “39 positive cases per 100,000, four times more than a month ago”, said Jean Castex during a conference Press.
Coronavirus : “21 départements sont classés en zone rouge”, dont 19 nouveaux, poursuit le Premier ministre. “Le virus progresse sur tout le territoire français”, dit Jean Castex.
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“The number of hospitalizations is slowly but surely starting to rise”
“The coronavirus epidemic is regaining ground, and the time to intervene is now,” he insisted. “The virus’s reproduction rate is above 1, which means the virus is gaining ground. We were down to 0.7 in May. We went back to 1.4 ”, and“ positivity increases for all age groups, ”he said.
“The number of hospitalizations is slowly but surely starting to rise. More than 800 Covid-19 patients are admitted to hospital per week right now, up from 500 six weeks ago. ”
Faced with this situation, “our objective is to do everything to avoid an especially generalised reconfinement”, as in the spring, affirmed the head of government, for whom this goal is “within our collective reach”.
Is the mask soon mandatory in Paris and in the inner suburbs?
Affirming that every day 700 verbalizations are drawn up throughout the country for non-compliance with the obligation to wear a mask, he considered “urgent to act in terms of wearing a mask” in Paris.
“I asked the police chief to initiate a consultation with the mayor of Paris and with the elected officials of the departments of the small crown where it seems to me urgent to act in the matter of the wearing of the mask,” he said. said. Wearing a mask will also be compulsory “for everyone” at the start of higher education, he said.
“The rule is simple: wearing a mask is now compulsory in all closed spaces where several people are located”, explained the head of government. In the face of the virus, the “first weapon” remains prevention, he insisted. “Let’s avoid grandpa and grandma going to pick up the children from school,” he said. Castex also encouraged the French to “avoid family celebrations as much as possible” and to “respect barrier gestures even when we are with the family at home”.
