November 26, 2020
1 min read

France Ranks Fourth In COVID-19 Cases Globally

France on Wednesday registered 16,282 new Covid-19 cases and 381 deaths in a 24-hour span, while pressure on the country’s health services continued to ease, health authorities said.

Since the start of the pandemic, 21,70,097 people have been infected with the virus, and 50,618 of them have died. France now ranks fourth in the number of total Covid-19 cases after the United States, India and Brazil, the Xinhua news agency reported.

As of Wednesday, 29,972 Covid-19 patients had been hospitalised (down 650 from Tuesday), confirming a downward trend reported since mid-November. Of the hospitalised, 4,148 are in intensive care, down 141 in the past 24 hours.

French President Emmanuel Macron

On Tuesday evening, President Emmanuel Macron said that the peak of the pandemic’s second wave had passed, allowing a gradual return to normalcy starting on November 28. Non-essential shops will reopen. People will be allowed to spend a longer time outdoors, and indoor in-person worship in churches will be limited to 30 people.

The country-wide confinement in force since October 30 will be lifted on December 15 provided that new infections remain below 5,000 per day. Cinemas, theaters and museums will then be allowed to reopen under strict health protocols.

Meanwhile, a nationwide 9 p.m. to 7 a.m. curfew will remain in force, except on December 24 and December 31. Restaurants, bars, cafes and gyms would have to stay shut until January 20, 2021.

The President warned that “the return to normal is not for tomorrow … We must continue our efforts.”

As the world is struggling to contain the pandemic, countries including France, China, Russia, the United Kingdom and the US are racing to find a vaccine.

According to the website of the World Health Organisation, as of November 12, there were 212 Covid-19 candidate vaccines being developed worldwide, and 48 of them were in clinical trials.

Also Read-Quick Remedies For The Big Day

Previous Story

Australian state warns of severe ‘bushfire’

Next Story

One child infected with HIV every 100 seconds

Latest from -Top News

EU, China United on Climate, Split on Rest

Climate pact offers rare unity as trade rifts, Ukraine war, and economic tensions dominate EU-China summitChina and the European Union struck a rare note of unity on climate change Thursday, issuing a

Hungary Pays the Trump Price

Despite his success in wooing Trump’s conservative base, Hungary is among the EU nations most vulnerable to Trump’s incoming tariff blitz Hungary’s populist Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has spent years forging close

Meta Muzzles Election Ads

Meta to Halt Political Ads in EU, Citing Legal Uncertainty Over New Rules Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and Threads, announced on Friday that it will suspend all political advertising

Holy War Talk

Russian officials have downplayed the Vatican’s potential role as a mediator, citing its location within NATO-member Italy, which has firmly supported Ukraine throughout the war. In a move that may signal an

Greece Battles Blazes, Heatwave Chaos

With temperatures soaring above 38°C (100°F), and dry, windy conditions prevailing, fires are spreading fast. A wildfire tore through a northern suburb of Athens on Saturday, forcing residents to evacuate as Greece
Go toTop