"The situation is very evolving," warned Sunday evening Olivier Véran, the Minister of Health during the update on the coronavirus crisis from his ministry. Result, this Sunday afternoon, the Prime Minister wanted to urgently bring together all the ministers concerned to discuss the strategy to prepare the country for an epidemic risk. Vigilance is still going up a notch, as the minister already suggested in his interview this Sunday at Le Parisien.
If so far, 38 health establishments were able to accommodate possible patients, as of this Monday, 70 establishments will be added. The screening test capacities will be multiplied by three from this day. "I called the head of the Marseille university hospital institute of infectious diseases, he is able to perform in the area of Marseille alone 1000 tests per day," said the minister. In Paris hospitals we are 400 tests per day. We will be able, by amplifying the movement, to be able to respond to all requests on a regional scale, "announced the Minister of Health.
Likewise, in the next 24 hours, the State plans to massively order tens of millions of protective masks. It is not a question of buying so-called “surgical” masks that we see everywhere on the street, but FFP2 masks intended for professionals in close contact with patients, and which are only effective for three hours .
In France, there is no epidemic, said the minister. Sunday only one patient was still hospitalized and his condition is not worrying: he should soon go home.
No control at Italian borders
With an outbreak of Covid-19 at the gates of France, in Lombardy and Veneto (Italy), do we plan to control the borders? Difficult in the Schengen area. "It doesn't make much sense," observed Jérôme Salomon, director general of health. Not to mention that you can travel by land, by sea and by plane, or go through Italy or Austria. "
However, the government plans to strengthen information levels. Anyone returning from Lombardy or Veneto who has respiratory symptoms should contact 15.
As for confining an entire municipality if several cases were concentrated locally as Italy has done, it is not impossible. "It is provided for by the influenza pandemic plan," says Jérôme Salomon. No French has been contaminated or identified as being in contact with the Italians infected with the Covid-19, said the minister.