Coronavirus: sudden increase in cases in France, nurseries and closed schools

Text by: RFI Follow

While the milestone of 100,000 infected people has been crossed around the world, the spread of the virus is accelerating in France: 190 new cases of coronavirus have been identified since Thursday. The government has announced the closure from Monday of nurseries and schools in Oise (Hauts de France) and Haut-Rhin (Grand-Est) where the coronavirus "circulates with great intensity".

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This measure was taken for 15 days and concerns " nurseries, kindergartens, colleges and high schools " of two departments, announced the Prime Minister, Edouard Philippe, after an inter-ministerial meeting. " Not because these places are more dangerous ", but because of the risks of transmission and the difficulties in making " respect all the health instructions " in a school environment, he pleaded.

In these two departments is also instituted the " limitation of all gatherings, except those which are essential to social and democratic life ", he added.

The situation remains unchanged in the other territories. " Tonight, we therefore remain in phase 2, " said the Prime Minister, even if a transition to phase 3, that of the epidemic, is " inexorable " in the long term. In the meantime, the authorities are preparing precautionary measures. For Professor Jean-François Delfraissy, a specialist in infectious diseases, the transition from phase 2 to phase 3 will take place " between a few days and one or two weeks ".

39 serious cases

The latest census of authorities, early Friday evening, reported 613 infected people, 190 more than the day before, and two new deaths, bringing to nine the number of dead since late January.

The report also reports 39 people in serious condition or in intensive care with a virus now present in all regions of metropolitan France and in three overseas regions (Guadeloupe, Martinique, Guyana).

For the time being, the postponement of the municipal elections (March 15-22) is not on the agenda, but many events have already been canceled, such as the Paris marathon, scheduled for April 5 with 60,000 registered, postponed to October 18.

( With AFP)

■ " No psychosis "

How do the French react to cases of Coronavirus around them? Doctors call for "caution", but also not to "over react". Eric Henry is a doctor, president of the medical center of the country of Auray in Morbihan. He works in the heart of an epidemic outbreak which now accounts for 23 infected people and one deceased person. And he assures him, there is no psychosis in the population and in his patients.

People are very calm. They are responsible, they have listened, heard, read. They follow the instructions given to them.

Éric Henry, doctor at Auray

In the Breton village of Crac'h, considered to be one of the hotbeds of the epidemic, the inhabitants organize themselves and want to stay calm, as evidenced by this resident.

We feel that people are alert, but not panicked at all. I still go out a lot less […] but I am not cut off from the world either.

Yvette Le Guével, a resident of Crac'h

► Read also: Affected by the coronavirus, the National Assembly is taking action

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