French president announces closure across the country to be wished on Friday • Unlike the previous closure, schools will remain open • The number of victims in the country has risen to 35,000
French President Emmanuel Macron this evening (Wednesday) announced a partial and less rigid closure than the one imposed in the first wave, in order to curb the disease of the corona that broke new records in the second wave that hit continental Europe.
The announcement of the closure in France comes after yesterday the health authorities there reported 523 deaths in one day, which raised the number of victims from the outbreak of the plague to more than 35,000.
Photo: Reuters
Macron warned that the second wave could be more severe than the first wave, saying all districts of the country are on high alert against the spread of the virus.
"The virus is spreading at a rate that not even the most pessimistic forecasts expected," Macron said.
"Like all our neighbors, we are immersed in the sudden outbreak of the virus."
He said the closure would be wished on Friday and would last eight weeks.
However, unlike the previous closure, schools will remain open.
During the closure, citizens will be allowed to leave their homes to purchase essential supplies, perform sports training and purchase medication.
In addition, people will still be allowed to go to work if their employer decides they cannot do the work from home.
Authorities in France said a further 36,437 new infections had been diagnosed in the past day, compared to 33,417 reported yesterday.
Prior to that, a record of more than 50,000 infections per day had already been broken.
