While the Covid-19 epidemic continues to circulate in France, nearly 16,000 cases in 24 hours, new restriction measures in several French cities will come into force on Saturday.
They arouse incomprehension and anger among residents and local elected officials, particularly in Marseille, where a demonstration is scheduled for 9 am.
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A new record.
While several metropolises have been placed in an "enhanced" or "maximum" alert zone, France has recorded 16,096 new cases of coronavirus in 24 hours, according to data released Thursday evening by Public Health France.
"If we do not act, we could find ourselves in a situation close to that of spring. It could mean reconfinement", warned Prime Minister Jean Castex.
The European Union has called on its member states to tighten up their control measures against new clusters.
Follow the evolution of the situation live.
The main information to remember
16,096 new cases of coronavirus in 24 hours
Maximum alert zone for Marseille and Guadeloupe, heightened alert for eleven metropolises
New restrictive measures coming this weekend
More than 5 million cases in Europe
More than 16,000 new cases in 24 hours
France has recorded 16,096 new cases of coronavirus in 24 hours, a record since the launch of large-scale tests in the country, according to data released Thursday evening by Public Health France.
52 Covid-19 patients died in 24 hours in hospital, for a total of 31,511 deaths.
The test positivity rate rose further to now reach 6.5%, down from 6.2% on Wednesday and 5.4% last week.
Over the last seven days, hospitals have received 4,258 new patients including 718 serious cases in intensive care, 43 more than the day before.
In its weekly update also published Thursday, Public Health France reports an "exponential increase in intensive care admissions" and a "increase in the circulation of SARS-CoV-2 among those 65 and over".
New restrictions put in place
Faced with a rise in the incidence rate of the virus, the metropolis of Aix-Marseille and Guadeloupe have been placed in "maximum alert zone".
Bars and restaurants will be closed from Saturday.
Other "establishments open to the public" will also be closed, except those which have a "strict sanitary protocol", such as theaters, museums and cinemas.
Eleven other metropolises, including Paris or Bordeaux, have been placed in "enhanced alert zone", which implies, for example, the closure of bars from 10 pm and the limitation of alcohol sales.
Guest of the program "You have the floor" on France 2, Prime Minister Jean Castex also announced the closure of indoor swimming pools.
Faced with the fear of traders, the head of government announced several support measures for the catering sector, including the maintenance of partial unemployment as well as the exemption from social charges for the duration of the closure of establishments.
Aid from the Solidarity Fund will also be increased from 1,500 to 10,000 euros per month.
The lowered Roland-Garros gauge
Faced with new restrictions on gatherings, the spectator gauge at Roland Garros was lowered on Thursday.
The tennis tournament, which begins on Sunday, will be able to accommodate 1,000 spectators instead of the 5,000 initially announced.
Marseille against the state
The elected representatives of the Aix-Marseille metropolis are mobilized against the restrictive measures announced by the government, of which they denounce the lack of consultation.
They asked for a period of ten days to be able to put them in place, while the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region will file this Friday a summary of freedom in court to prevent the closure of bars and restaurants.
A demonstration is planned in front of the commercial court of Marseille at 9 am.
But the executive does not intend to depart from the line set on Wednesday.
"The situation is too serious", we slip to Matignon.
"To consult does not necessarily mean to come to an agreement. At one point, the principle of responsibility must prevail", moreover answered the Minister of Health, Olivier Véran, Thursday morning, during his hearing by the committee of Senate investigation into the health crisis.
European Union tightens restrictions
The European Union called on its member states on Thursday to toughen their control measures "immediately" in the face of new outbreaks of the Covid-19 epidemic, the day after the announcement of new restrictions in France where the number of contaminations is beating records .
From increased testing and tracing to enhanced health surveillance and sufficient hospital capacity, "all states must immediately and in time deploy measures at the first signs of potential new outbreaks," warned European Health Commissioner Stella Kyriakides.
Germany is also on the alert in the face of a resurgence of contaminations.
Bavaria is particularly affected and has decided to tighten its restrictions in Munich, where wearing a mask in part of the city center has been compulsory since Thursday.
Similar measure in Italy, in the Naples region.
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In the United Kingdom, the most bereaved country on the European continent with 42,000 dead, new restrictions came into force on Thursday: pubs and restaurants, in which only table service will be allowed, must close from 10 p.m. in England and teleworking will again be encouraged.
The measures taken by several European countries reflect the authorities' concern at the increase in the number of patients.
A total of 5,060,966 cases have been identified in Europe, of which 227,862 have been fatal.
Rio de Janeiro postpones its carnival
The 2021 edition of the famous Rio de Janeiro carnival, which was to be held next February, has been postponed indefinitely due to the Covid-19 epidemic, still very active in Brazil, an official announced on Thursday.
"We have come to the conclusion that the event should be postponed. We simply cannot do it in February. Samba schools will not have the time or the financial and organizational resources to be ready for February," he said. Jorge Castanheira, president of the Independent League of Samba Schools of Rio de Janeiro (LIESA), which is organizing the event, told reporters.
Brazil has the second highest death toll in the world, around 140,000, behind the United States.
Nearly 4.7 people have been infected with Covid-19.
More than 978,000 dead worldwide
The pandemic of the new coronavirus has killed more than 978,000 people worldwide since the appearance of the first cases in December, according to a report established Thursday by AFP.
In total, nearly 32 million cases of infection have been officially diagnosed.
The United States is the most affected country in terms of both deaths and cases, with 201,910 deaths for 6,934,233 cases.
After the United States, the most bereaved countries are Brazil with 139,808 dead, India (91,149), Mexico (74,949) and the United Kingdom (41,862).