Paris (AFP)
The coronavirus epidemic "is on our doorstep", assured Tuesday the Minister of Health Olivier Véran on RTL, while repeating that there were "no more sick people in circulation today in France".
"We have a lot of alerts. This is quite normal because the epidemic is upon us. We are preparing, we are preparing all the health monitoring and intervention systems, in town as well as in the hospital , in the event that the epidemic comes, "said Véran.
"We are in anticipation, in adaptation," he added.
"The epidemic, he explained, is when you say: the virus is circulating we will not be able to stop it, it is when you say: we do not identify all the patients ... ". "Here we are at the stage before the epidemic," he said.
In Italy, pointed out Mr. Véran, "there are two geographical locations within which we find almost all the patients today. There is no trace of virus circulating outside these areas". Thus, he continued, "in Rome, there is no patient today, this is not an area which is considered to be in a health alert situation".
The Minister of Health is scheduled to meet his European colleagues in Rome during the day.
"We are not closing the borders because it would not make sense. At this stage, there is no reason to consider closing the borders," said Mr. Véran.
"There is no scientific and medical argument today that leads us to stop collective events" like the Champions League match, scheduled for Wednesday between Lyon and Juventus in Turin.
© 2020 AFP