PARIS (Reuters) – The French government on Friday declared Paris and Marseille and its scenic spaces the main threat to coronavirus, giving the local government the strength to impose localized borders to involve the spread of the disease.
The declaration, made in a government decree, follows a strong buildup of COVID-19 infections in France over the past two weeks.
On Thursday, France reported more than 2500 new COVID-19 infections for the time in a row, the last time observed in mid-April, when the country was in the midst of one of Europe’s strictest blockades.
The government’s resolution gives the communities of Paris and the Bouches-du-Rhane region the strength to limit the movement of other people and vehicles, limit public and air transport, limit public buildings and close restaurants, bars and other establishments.
Paris and Marseille had already made it mandatory to wear a face mask in crowded public spaces in recent days.
Late on Thursday, Britain said it would impose 40 14-day arrivals from France starting Saturday due to emerging infection rates.
The Netherlands and 4 countries were also added to the UK quarantine list, which already included Spain and Belgium.
Making the red areas of Paris and Marseille only have a primary effect on tourism, as this can lead other countries to impose quarantines on their returning citizens from those areas.
Reporting through Jean-Stéphane Brosse and Geert de Clercq; Editing via Sudip Kar-Gupta and John Stonestreet
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