COVID is back, says French PM

France detects daily average of around 40,000 new Covid cases over the last week.

French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne said Tuesday that "the COVID epidemic is starting again" and called for preventative measures.

Borne said that more than 40,000 cases are being detected every day at the moment, while "an increase of almost 10 percent in hospitalizations, 22 percent increase in hospitalizations in critical care and 400 deaths from COVID" was observed last week.

"This new wave reminds us: The virus has not disappeared, the epidemic strikes again, kills again," she added.

The prime minister stressed that hospitals are facing additional pressure due to an epidemic of bronchiolitis as well as the flu season.

Borne called for social distancing, wearing masks in crowded areas, particularly in public transport, and flu vaccinations.
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