Montpellier (AFP)
Extension of the obligation to wear a mask outside and ban on gatherings of more than 5,000 people extended until October 30: Jean Castex hardened his tone on Tuesday, facing an "epidemiological situation (which) is evolving in the wrong way".
"I say it with a form of gravity: if we do not react collectively, we expose ourselves to a high risk of epidemic resumption which will be difficult to control", warned the head of government during a trip to the Montpellier University Hospital.
"It will again put under tension the entire health chain, from city medicine to hospital services, it will also put pressure on our economy, our education system, our collective and cultural life," Mr. Castex, calling for "responding individually and collectively" and "vigorously".
After a defense council devoted to the epidemic in the morning, the Prime Minister indicated that he would "ask the prefects to approach local elected officials to extend as much as possible the obligation to wear a mask in public spaces" .
The head of government also announced the extension until October 30 of the ban on events of more than 5,000 people.
The prefects will have the "possibility of derogating from it with the verification of the strict respect of the sanitary instructions", he added while recalling that "one cannot expect everything from the public authorities, each one exercises a share of responsibility".
Jean Castex has also announced a strengthening of controls "on compliance with all the rules intended to prevent the spread of the virus: respect for barrier gestures, the wearing of masks", particularly in restaurants, or "reporting obligations gatherings of more than 10 people ".
It is necessary "above all to avoid a backtracking, an important reconfinement, it is essential and it is within our reach", again hammered Jean Castex, by calling for "to be lucid" and "for some, to pull ourselves together" .
The number of people diagnosed positive for Covid-19 has increased by 785 new cases in the past 24 hours. In all 10,800 new cases were recorded in one week.
© 2020 AFP