France considers partial lockdown for Nice region after increase in Covid cases

The French Minister of Health said the city of Nice and the surrounding department of Alpes-Maritimes face a partial lockdown or even stricter curfew, after an increase in the number of new coronavirus infections in recent days

Olivier Véran said decisions on further tightening the limits on the movement of people would be taken over the weekend.

“There are a few cities and regions in France where the virus is circulating much faster than elsewhere and this may require regional containment measures,” said the Minister of Health during a visit to a health center in Nice .

The Alpes-Maritimes department has the highest Covid-19 infection rate in metropolitan France, with around 600 cases per 100,000 inhabitants. In Nice, the departmental capital, this rate rises to 751 cases per 100,000 inhabitants – three times the maximum alert threshold, with a positivity rate of 10.3% against 6% nationally.

“Around 500 people fall ill with Covid-19 every day in Nice,” Véran said. “I ask the police chief to continue discussions with all local officials so that by the end of the weekend we can decide on additional measures to protect the population of the Alpes-Maritimes. This could mean a more curfew. strict or even partial or full lockdown. ”

The French government has used curfews and local lockdowns in other areas in the past, but has generally preferred nationwide measures.

“If the government decides that we have to go into partial lockout, on weekends for example, I will support and encourage it,” said Christian Estrosi, the conservative mayor of Nice, who accompanied Véran on his visit.

Following a second nationwide lockdown in November, France imposed a national 8 p.m. curfew, which was tightened to 6 p.m. in mid-January.

Véran said the national trend of coronavirus infections had worsened in recent days.

France reported 24,116 new infections on Friday, an increase of nearly 4,000 the previous Friday. The seven-day average of new infections has exceeded 19,000 per day after falling to about 18,300 a week ago.

France also reported 571 new deaths from the virus, bringing the cumulative death toll to nearly 84,000.

(with Reuters)