The French are more than ever called upon to respect containment with the entry into force on Wednesday of new restrictions, while the human toll of the epidemic of coronavirus to spread, exceeding the 10,000 deaths in the country.
Authorities and caregivers fear a relaxation with the return of sunny days in the middle of the Easter holidays (in zone C for the moment, Île-de-France and Occitanie), as numerous images of walkers in different parts of the country have shown. Consequently, the Minister of the Interior, Christophe Castaner, authorized the prefects, in connection with the mayors, to tighten the measures in the event of loosening of the general confinement, established until April 15.
Things have not dragged on in the capital and in four other Ile-de-France departments, where all individual sporting activity is prohibited from Wednesday, from 10h to 19h, faced with the unusual number of "joggers" multiplying outings.
7,131 patients require heavy intensive care
Tuesday, France recorded a new very heavy daily toll in hospitals, with 597 additional deaths in 24 hours, a total of 7,091 since early March. In addition, 3,237 deaths have been recorded in nursing homes and medico-social establishments, making a total of 10,328 deaths. A total of 7,131 patients require heavy intensive care. This number continues to grow, "an indicator that the epidemic continues to grow," noted the Director General of Health, Jérôme Salomon.
However, with the discharges, the net increase in the number of patients in intensive care - an indicator very followed by professionals because it measures the pressure on the health system - is less and less strong, with a balance of +59 Tuesday (against + 94 Monday and +140 Sunday).
"The worst is not behind us, not at all"
"We are not yet at the peak," repeated No. 2 of the Ministry of Health. "We are only in the ascending phase even if it is slowing down a bit, so tackling deconfinement today makes no sense." "The worst is not behind us, not at all, we are on the contrary in an extremely perilous phase where we should not be mistaken and that we start to deconfinate and do anything", a warned on his side on CNews Pr Philippe Juvin, chief of emergencies of the Parisian hospital Georges-Pompidou.
"The hour of confinement will last," insisted for his part the Prime Minister, Edouard Philippe, during the session of questions to the government on Tuesday. "It is quite difficult for many French people to bear, I am perfectly aware of this, but it is essential if we do not want to find ourselves in a situation that would be worse than the one we know today" . For his part, the Secretary of State for Transport, Jean-Baptiste Djebbari, advised the French to "wait" before booking trips for the summer holidays, the situation linked to the epidemic being "still too uncertain "
Wearing a mask remains an "open question"
The pressure on hospitals and accommodation establishments for dependent elderly people (Ehpad) remains very strong for the time being. The Minister of Health, Olivier Véran, announced the launch of a vast screening operation in these nursing homes, some of which have been decimated by the disease. And "a large-scale mobilization of reservists" will be effective as of Wednesday for the benefit of 50 Ehpad in the Paris region, according to the Director General of Health.
In addition, France is continuing its efforts to source masks, which are now coveted by the whole planet, and its "secure orders" now reach 1.6 billion units, according to Olivier Véran. Widespread use of the mask remains an "open question" but the government maintains for the time being its recommendation to reserve the use for caregivers and infected people, he also said.
The epidemic, which has killed more than 75,000 people worldwide, continues to darken the economic outlook. The use of partial unemployment was requested for 5.8 million employees in France, or one in four in the private sector. It's a record, and it could cost 19.6 billion euros in three months. "About half of the economy is at a standstill," noted Minister of Labor Muriel Pénicaud.
- Society
- Containment
- Coronavirus