France Reports Jump in New Coronavirus Cases Over Past 24 Hours
France reported its biggest increase in new coronavirus cases since early May.
(Bloomberg) -- France reported its biggest increase in new coronavirus cases since early May, before the country emerged from an almost two-month lockdown.
New infections totaled 3,776 over the past 24 hours, the government’s health office reported Wednesday, the largest daily jump since May 6. Deaths increased by 17 to 30,468.
France, along with neighbors including Spain, Germany and the Netherlands, has been grappling with a resurgence in cases over the past few weeks, even as the number of fatalities remains well below the levels seen during the peak of the pandemic in March and April.
Authorities in France have begun to tighten restrictions to curb the spread, including requiring masks in busy outdoor areas of cities like Paris and Marseilles. Local authorities in Toulouse will require mask-wearing throughout the city starting on Aug. 21, Agence France-Presse reported, the first large French city to go so far.
On Tuesday, Labor Minister Elisabeth Borne said that mask-wearing will also be obligatory in most indoor work areas, including meeting rooms, lobbies and open-plan offices, starting in September. The government is also encouraging employees to work from home whenever possible.
©2020 Bloomberg L.P.