Coronavirus Cases Continue to Rise in France

The day Lille, Grenoble, Lyon and Saint-Etienne are set to begin maximum virus alert, France set a record for new infections.

On Saturday, the number of new recorded cases of coronavirus infections rose to 26,896, up by more than 6,000 new infections from the previous 24 hour period, according to Reuters.

According to Reuters, the cumulative total of infections in France now stands at 718,873 since the start of the year.

The news comes after France shuttered Parisian bars in an effort to quell rising numbers in Paris and its surrounding suburbs. And, as four other cities in France begin maximum virus alert.

The country, like most, has begun to experience a resurgence in infections months after coronavirus became a global pandemic. In response to rising numbers, including the Paris region’s ICUs reaching 40% capacity, the director of the region’s health agency, Aurelien Rousseau, tweeted that he ordered hospital directors to activate a special emergency plan to free up resources and protect medical staff.

In recent weeks, criticism has been aimed at French leaders for failing to learn from the first wave, which earlier this year resulted in a strict two month lockdown.

“It’s very tense, we don’t have any more places,” Dr. Karim Debbat told The Associated Press. According to the AP, The Joseph Imbert Hospital in Arles, a city in the South of France, is in the process of converting recovery rooms to intensive care units prioritizing staff care to COVID-19 patients.

When asked about additional medics to help with rising cases, Dr. Debbat told the AP, “We don’t have them. That’s the problem.”