Coronavirus: France sees 'exponential rise' in cases

            Bikers wearing protective masks ride past Notre Dame Cathedral

 

France has recorded its biggest daily rise in coronavirus infections since March, as President Emmanuel Macron raised the possibility of another nationwide lockdown.

A further 7,379 cases were confirmed on Friday, bringing the country's total to 267,077.It was the largest daily spike since 31 March, when 7,578 cases were tallied at the peak of the first wave. France was seeing an "exponential" rise in cases, the health ministry said. The ministry said Friday's rise follows daily increases of 6,111 on Thursday and 5,429 on Wednesday. Despite the sharp rise, hospital numbers and daily deaths were relatively stable, as young people less vulnerable to the disease make up most of the new infections, the ministry said. Another 20 people were confirmed to have died with Covid-19 on Friday, bringing France's overall death toll to 30,596.Shortly before Friday's figures were released, Mr. Macron said a second national lockdown could not be ruled out if infections spiraled out of control. However he said his government was trying to avoid the return of restrictions that would set back the country's fragile economic recovery. Containment is the crudest of measures to fight against a virus, said Mr. Macron, urging people to be collectively very rigorous.


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