Since Saturday, the restrictions against the Covid-19 epidemic already in place in 19 departments have been extended to the entire territory.

They are scheduled for four weeks "at this stage", recalls the government.

In the meantime, hospital pressure continues to increase, with more than 5,300 patients in intensive care.

Follow the evolution of the situation live. 

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For the second year in a row, millions of Christians around the world, and particularly in France, celebrated Easter in compliance with strict restrictions put in place to fight the coronavirus epidemic.

In France, where the pressure on intensive care services continues to increase day after day, these reinforced measures entered into force on Saturday across the country are scheduled for four weeks "at this stage", recalled the executive.

But while the measures are less and less accepted by the French, the government must face the controversy around clandestine dinner in which ministers would have participated, according to a source who finally retracted.

Follow the evolution of the situation live. 

The restrictions planned for four weeks "at this point"

Government spokesman Gabriel Attal said on Sunday that the new restrictions were planned "at this stage" to last four weeks, and that the President of the Republic could speak again to the French "by the end of the month".

"These measures have been announced for four weeks. It is not expected that they will go beyond 4 weeks at this stage," said the government representative on LCI, although "nothing should ever be excluded by principle for the future ".

"There is a calendar announced by the President of the Republic. If this calendar has been announced, it is because we know, we believe, that everyone's efforts will make it possible to keep it," he said. added.

Emmanuel Macron could speak again in front of the French "by the end of April I think", added the spokesperson.

The government "is beginning to see signals which can make optimistic on the measures which had been put in place", "with the beginning of stabilization of the epidemic", specified Gabriel Attal.

The number of patients in intensive care continues to increase

On Sunday, there were 5,341 people in the intensive care units of hospitals, against 5,273 the day before, and 4,872 a week ago.

There were 270 new admissions in 24 hours, says Public Health France.

The number of hospitalizations is also on the rise, with 29,356 patients, including 1,224 new admissions in 24 hours (1,730 the day before).

In 24 hours, 185 new deaths were recorded.

In total, since the start of the epidemic, the disease has killed 96,678 people, including 70,602 in hospital.

On the contamination front, 66,794 cases have been recorded, a figure including the catching up of data that had not been transmitted on Saturday, explains Public Health France. 

Controversy over illegal dinners in Paris

Paris prosecutor Rémy Heitz on Sunday opened a criminal investigation after a report by M6 on illegal dinners in Paris, while an organizer finally retracted after anonymously affirming that ministers were participating.

The private channel had broadcast Friday a report on a hidden camera in a place presented as "an underground restaurant located in the beautiful districts", where the participants and the waiters do not wear masks and do not respect barrier gestures.

M6 had also broadcast other images of a private pay party, where dozens of guests appeared without a mask, some kissing each other.

All in defiance of the prohibitions enacted to curb the spread of Covid-19.

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"Ministers" in illegal restaurants?

What the government says

One of the organizers claimed in a disguised voice-over having dined with "a number of ministers".

Pierre-Jean Chalençon, owner of the "Palais Vivienne", located in the center of Paris, implicitly admitted to being this source, but pleaded that he only made "humor" and wielded "the sense of the absurd" , when he assured that ministers participated in such meals.

On Sunday, the controversy caused Twitter to react, under the hashtag #OnVeutLesNoms, but also the ministers in Sunday broadcasts.

At the

Grand rendez-vous Europe1 / Les Echos / Cnews

, the Minister for Citizenship Marlène Schiappa had thus estimated: "if ministers or deputies" have had their meals during such clandestine dinners, "they must have fines and that they be penalized like any other citizen ".

Later, on Twitter, she endorsed a user who believed that if it was true, the ministers had to "release fissa" from the government: "It goes without saying. With a fine," tweeted the minister.

New restrictions in Europe 

Portugal is extending border crossing restrictions for tourists until April 15, the interior ministry said.

For its part, Germany will place the Netherlands in a high-risk zone due to the high number of contaminations, announced the Robert-Koch institute, which has already done the same for three other border countries including France.

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From midnight on Tuesday, any traveler from the Netherlands will have to present a negative virus test to be able to enter German territory, according to the health watch institute.

More than 2.8 million deaths worldwide

The pandemic has killed more than 2,847,182 worldwide since the end of December 2019, according to a report established by AFP from official sources on Sunday in the middle of the day.

The United States is the most bereaved country with 554,994 dead, ahead of Brazil (331,433), Mexico (204,011), India (164,623) and the United Kingdom (126,826).