-
Speed limits to (mostly) drop to 30 km/h in this French city
The new measure will improve noise and pollution, improve safety and encourage cycling, say local authorities
-
Thousands of French parking fines cancelled after IT bug
The fines had been issued in error after IT system was privatised
-
Watchdog highlights Christmas food shopping ‘scams’ in France
Pastries with palm oil, excess packaging, inflated prices…vote for the worst ‘scam’ in this food watchdog’s annual contest
Covid-19 hospitalisations dip for first time in France
Death toll passes 17,000 but the number of patients requiring hospital treatment falls
The number of patients in hospitals in France with coronavirus has fallen for the first time since the beginning of the epidemic.
A total 31,779 Covid-19 patients were being treated in hospitals, Director General of Health Jérôme Salomon confirmed on Wednesday evening - 513 fewer than on Tuesday.
The fall in hospitalisations followed a seventh consecutive day in which the number of patients in intensive care had fallen - from 6,730 on Tuesday to 6,467 on Wednesday. The figures included 263 new ITU admissions.
A total of 17,167 people have died from the coronavirus in France, up from 15,729 on Tuesday. Of these, 10,643 were hospital deaths and 6,524 deaths in nursing homes for the elderly.
Dr Salomon said that the sharp rise in deaths was due to delays in collating data over the Easter weekend and updated information from nursing homes.
On Monday, President Emmanuel Macron extended the lockdown in France until May 11. It has been in force since March 17.
The government has said a "high plateau" of the epidemic curve has been reached, but that in order to continue the downward trend, people needed to continue to respect the rules of staying at home and social distancing.
Stay informed:
Sign up to our free weekly e-newsletter
Subscribe to access all our online articles and receive our printed monthly newspaper The Connexion at your home. News analysis, features and practical help for English-speakers in France