The latest French report on the covid-19 epidemic reported Wednesday nearly 32,000 deaths in total and 34 new people entering intensive care in 24 hours.

In several large cities, the situation is deteriorating and raises fears of placement on maximum alert, especially in Paris.

Follow the evolution of the situation live.

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The latest assessment of the novel coronavirus epidemic in France reports 31,956 deaths in total in the country and nearly 13,000 new cases in 24 hours, while the positivity rate stabilizes.

Paris, where the indicators continue to deteriorate, could be placed on Thursday in the maximum alert zone.

Thursday, the National Assembly must vote on the tools in the hands of the government for the coming months, from restaurant closures to travel restrictions.

Follow the latest developments live.

The main information to remember:

  • Nearly 13,000 new cases in 24 hours, the total death toll stands at 31,956 

  • Paris could switch to maximum alert zone 

  • Air transport lays off workers in the United States

Nearly 32,000 dead in France

On Wednesday, the latest coronavirus report in France shows 31,956 dead and 12,845 new cases detected over the last 24 hours.

More than 1,200 Covid-19 patients are now in intensive care in France, including 135 in the last 24 hours, according to published figures from Public Health France.

There are now 1,232 people who have been placed in intensive care in total (against 1,198 on Tuesday).

The positivity rate (the percentage of people infected among those tested) stabilizes at 7.6%, as on Tuesday, according to these same figures.

64 people have died in the last 24 hours (compared to 59 on Tuesday).

Paris, Lille and Lyon soon on high alert?

After Marseille, the epidemic situation deteriorates in Paris, Lille and Lyon.

These cities, where the incidence rate continues to climb, could soon pass into the maximum alert zone.

Toulouse and Grenoble are also worrying the health authorities.

To be classified in this category, a territory must meet three conditions.

The incidence rate (number of positive cases per 100,000 inhabitants) must be greater than 250. It is currently 259 in Paris.

The incidence rate in people over 65 must be greater than 100;

it is 133 in the capital.

Finally, more than 30% of resuscitation beds must be occupied by Covid patients.

We are 32% in Paris.

Paris should therefore switch from Thursday to the maximum alert zone.

Restaurant owners are preparing for it.

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What if the Institut Pasteur de Lille had found the miracle treatment?

The Institut Pasteur de Lille may have found the miracle molecule in the laboratory to obtain an effective treatment against the coronavirus by the start of 2021. Research by the Institut Pasteur de Lille seems very promising: the researchers tested more than 2,000 molecules to end up finding the rare pearl: a molecule effective against the virus, and which produces no or few side effects.

We must now test this molecule in a clinical trial.

To learn more, it's here.

In Spain, the measures against the Covid soon extended to all of Madrid

After several days of arm wrestling, the Spanish government announced on Wednesday that it would impose on the whole city of Madrid and certain municipalities of its periphery the anti-Covid measures already in force in certain neighborhoods, closure of Madrid rejected en bloc by local authorities.

These measures consist in prohibiting all inhabitants of Madrid from entering or leaving the city, except in particular to go to work, to the doctor or to take children to school.

They will be effective once the decree is published in the Official Journal "in the coming days", assured the Minister of Health Salvador Illa.

The vaccine race continues

The German pharmaceutical company CureVac began Wednesday in Panama phase 2 clinical trials of a vaccine candidate against Sars-Cov-2, the most advanced in Central America, announced the Panamanian research center which is conducting the study.

This phase will involve 250 people.

CureVac has announced that trials will also be conducted in Peru.

Chile for its part authorized on Wednesday the launch of clinical studies concerning two vaccines against the coronavirus developed by the Chinese pharmaceutical firm Sinovac Biotech and by the Belgian Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies, informed the Ministry of Health.

Each of its trials, for which the launch date has not been specified, will involve some 3,000 volunteers, men and women aged 18 to 59.

In the United States, airlines are laying off 

The American company United Airlines confirmed Wednesday evening that it would begin to lay off about 13,000 of its employees, for lack of an agreement in the American Congress on new aid to the airline sector. Like the American Airlines company which announced earlier in the evening that it was going to fire 19,000 people, United left a door open by assuring in a message to employees, consulted by AFP, that it would cancel these layoffs if Democrats and Republicans reach a compromise "in the days to come".