French PM refuses to rule out lockdowns as virus spikes

PARIS (AP) — French Prime Minister Jean Castex refused to rule out further local lockdowns in France Monday, after French health authorities reported about 43,000 new infections over the weekend. The path of the virus is accelerating rapidly across the country and the situation in hospitals is deteriorating by the day.

“Nothing should be ruled out when we see the situation in our hospitals... There can be no more slackening,” Castex said on French news broadcaster France Info.

Nine big cities, including Paris and Marseille, have now been placed under maximum virus alert as officials warn France is amid the much-feared second wave of the COVID-19 epidemic.

“A national lockdown must be avoided by all means,” Castex warned, calling on French people to help out by limiting private gatherings in their homes.

The government will review health data this Wednesday at the weekly defense council meeting to see if further action is warranted following the tightening of screws in several metropolitan areas. President Emmanuel Macron will speak to the nation following that.

It comes as the director of the Paris region public health agency has raised the alarm about the dwindling amount of ICU space available because of the spike in serious infections.

“This morning we have 474 sick people in ICUs, that means we have reached over 42% of beds occupied (by COVID-19 patients),” Aurelien Rousseau told BFM TV.

Rousseau said that the rate of positive tests reached 17% in the Paris region.

France is one of Europe’s hardest-hit countries, with at least 32,730 virus-related deaths.

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