Coronavirus: Paris poised for maximum Covid alert

French authorities could place Paris under maximum Covid alert from Monday, the country’s health minister warned.

Olivier Véran said infection rates in the capital and its suburbs are rising and a decision on imposing new restrictions will be made on Sunday.

He added that a “total closure of bars” could be needed in the capital.

France, one of many European countries that are seeing a rise in cases, recorded more than 13,000 infections on Thursday.

In a news conference on Thursday, Mr Véran said the Paris region passed three thresholds qualifying for a maximum alert on Thursday.

One of these was the number of infections, which has now surpassed 250 per 100,000 people.

“We need a few days to confirm the trends, but if they are confirmed, we’ll have no choice but to put it on maximum alert, from Monday,” he said.

According to Mr Véran, more than 30% of beds in Paris’s intensive care units have been filled with Covid-19 patients.

He warned that if the maximum alert was put in place, there would be no more family reunions and bars would be closed. Bars and restaurants in the region already have to close by 22:00.

Similar restrictions have already been introduced in Marseille. Last Monday, Mr Véran announced bars, restaurants and gyms would close in the southern city for at least two weeks amid an upsurge in cases.

On Thursday, France recorded 13,970 cases and 63 deaths. More than 31,986 people have died in the country since the pandemic began, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.

Poland’s infection rate has risen, while the UK government said it removed Turkey over concerns about the way the country reports its data.