Coronavirus death toll in France rises to 48 as 500 new cases are confirmed
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France has enacted further restrictions as the country’s death toll from coronavirus rose to 48 on Wednesday, and more than 500 new cases were recorded in 24 hours.
As the number of confirmed coronavirus cases in France rose to 2,281, further restrictions were brought in in an attempt to contain the spread – including stopping all visits to retirement homes and long term care facilities and closing schools in the southern city of Montpellier and on the island of Corsica.
The new total included 500 new cases recorded in the past 24 hours – the largest daily jump France has seen since the outbreak began in the middle of February.
Health minister Olivier Véran added on Wednesday night that 105 people were in hospital in a serious condition.
French Health Director Jérôme Salomon had previously stressed that so far, 98 percent of people diagnosed with coronavirus in France make a full recovery.
France has already enacted restrictions on gatherings of more than 1,000 people and the 10 ‘cluster’ zones where the majority of cases have been diagnosed have strict restrictions on any type of public gathering.
Health chiefs have saying for some days that a full epidemic is likely, but President Emmanuel Macron, on a visit to the Necker Hospital in Paris on Tuesday, added: “We have anticipated, we are prepared and we have excellent staff.”
