France adds more cities to maximum alert as Covid-19 cases increase

Following the maximum alert for Paris, France is adding two more cities this week as infections rise in the areas of Montpellier and Toulouse.

The southern cities will be placed on France’s maximum alert starting from Tuesday which will affect Montpellier and surrounding towns to prevent further spreading of the virus. Toulouse also joins the list, following confirmation from the regional authorities to impose the strictest measures on France’s tiered alert system.

With COVID-19 infections soaring across Europe, countries including France have been battling the spread with difficult measures including restaurant and night club closures.

As hospitalisations increase ahead of the winter period, there’s little time left to ‘flatten the curve’ to help prevent the healthcare system from being saturated.

Other cities are also facing similar measures including Grenoble, Lyon and Lille.

The new measures are being enacted due to recent data showing that infections have risen nationally to nearly 27,000 cases in just 24 hours over the weekend. The number of hospitalisations now stands at over 5000 with more than 900 people currently in intensive care – placing further strain on hospitals.

Like other countries including Spain, Germany and the UK, France is stepping up its measures, often with difficult repercussions for businesses and citizens living in maximum alert areas. However, as the spread continues, it is vital for the French healthcare system to sustain the increasing infection rate, but the impact has had a resounding effect, especially on lower income families.