(Fighting New Coronary Pneumonia) Officially confirmed cases in France exceed 220,000 cases of cluster infections and continue to increase
China News Agency, Paris, August 18 (Reporter Li Yang) The number of confirmed cases of new coronary pneumonia officially released by France exceeded 220,000 on the 18th local time, and the number of cluster infections continued to increase.
According to the epidemic data released by the French Ministry of Health that night, the official number of confirmed cases has risen to 221,267. In the past 7 days, the positive rate of new coronavirus testing has risen to 3%. The number of deaths from new coronary pneumonia in France is now 30,451.
Data show that France has 2238 newly confirmed cases in a single day on the 18th; hospitalized cases have dropped to 4823, and severe cases have been 380. It is worth noting that the number of cluster infections continues to increase. The number of cluster infection cases under investigation increased to 273, the highest since the “unblocking” in May, with 27 new cases in a single day.
The data also shows that since the "unblocking" in May, the number of cluster infections in France has exceeded 1,000, reaching 1013, of which at least a quarter of cluster infections have been traced back to the workplace. Family gatherings and other group activities involving many people have also led to an increase in cluster infection cases.
In response to the epidemic, French Minister of Labor Elizabeth Born met with representatives of the labor and business circles on the 18th to discuss health and epidemic prevention measures. Born announced after the meeting that masks must be worn in all public spaces within the company at the end of this month.
French officials have stipulated that masks must be mandatory on public transportation and indoor public places. In many cities such as Paris, they have also begun to implement mandatory outdoor masks. However, it is still up to the employer to decide whether to wear a mask in the office.
Bohn said that when people return to work after their summer vacation, they must “systematize” wear masks in indoor office spaces, including meeting rooms, corridors and public offices. She also called for telecommuting as far as possible in areas where the virus is actively spreading.
The accelerated spread of the new crown virus has also affected French football matches. The opening match of the French Ligue 1 was originally scheduled to be held on the 21st of this month, with Marseille vs. Saint-Etienne. However, as the Marseille Club confirmed three new confirmed cases in the team on the 18th, the opening match had to be postponed. France's scientific committee to deal with the epidemic also agreed to postpone the game to prevent the spread of the virus. (Finish)