PARIS (FRANCE) – France should get ready for “difficult decisions” on new measures to combat a rebound of COVID-19 cases, interior minister Gerald Darmanin said on Tuesday. A cabinet meeting to discuss the pandemic is likely to happen.
French authorities are considering options for tighter measures to fight COVID-19, according to three sources familiar with the government’s thinking.
Darmanin told France Inter radio, “We must expect difficult decisions,” .
France has already set a curfew from 9 pm-6 am in major cities, including Paris. Two industry sources in contact with the government said officials are now looking at measures, which includes setting out with the curfew earlier, restricting people to their homes at weekends except for essential trips, and closing non-essential shops.
On Monday, France reported 26,771 new confirmed coronavirus cases in the past 24 hours, while the death toll went up by 257, taking the total number of deaths to 35,018. The number of people in intensive care units rose by 186 to 2,770.