France remains at "stage 2" of the coronavirus epidemic. Professor Jérôme Salomon, Director General of Health, explained on Wednesday that the objective was still to "slow the spread of the virus". The updated assessment is 285 cases, 73 more than the previous day. The number of deaths is still four people.
On the other hand, important clarification, "15 people are in intensive care" indicated Jérôme Salomon, even if, "in the vast majority, or 80% of the cases, the forms of the disease are benign". Among the grouped cases, 99 are linked to the chains of contamination in the Oise. The Annecy cluster has 30 cases.
"Barrier gestures remain the best response to the progression of the virus," adds Professor Salomon. Research is progressing on the subject, and the President of the Republic is meeting this Thursday with “Estates General for Research on the Coronavirus” at the Elysée Palace, with around thirty researchers. There is an urgent need to find treatments.
In Italy, the figures for the progression of the disease are significant, with a death toll now of 107. Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte announced on Wednesday that all schools and universities will be closed until March 15.
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