France’s coronavirus infection rate is still too high for the government to ease social and economic restrictions, epidemiologist and government scientific adviser Arnaud Fontanet told France Info radio on Monday.
France has one of the highest totals of COVID-19 cases in western Europe. Among other measures to stem the pandemic, 15 northeastern and southeastern departments have imposed 6 p.m. curfews.
France on Sunday recorded 12,489 new coronavirus cases over the past 24 hours, up from the 3,466 reported a day earlier, the Health Ministry said in a daily update.
The increase was higher than the government’s target of 5,000 or less per day and brought the cumulative total to 2,665,728, the ministry’s data showed.
The COVID-19 death toll was up by 116 to 65,037, after rising by 157 on Saturday.
Main Photo: Policemen ask people about the travel declaration, inside Trocadero square, as Eiffel tower appears in the background, during curfew times in Paris, France. EPA-EFE/MOHAMMED BADRA
