French President Emmanuel Macron. Photo: MATHIEU CUGNOT/POOL/AFP via Getty Images
French President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday declared a state of health emergency and instated a curfew on some of the regions that have been hardest hit by the coronavirus, France 24 reports.
Why it matters: A number of European countries have reimposed lockdown measures, as an uptick in COVID-19 cases has eroded the continent's earlier progress in containing the virus. Macron described the situation as a "second wave."
What's happening: The region surrounding Paris along with cities including Grenoble, Lille, Lyon, Aix-Marseille, Montpellier, Rouen, Saint Etienne and Toulouse will have a 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew for at least a month, starting this Saturday.
- People will be allowed to be out during curfew so long as they have a good reason. Those who violate the curfew will face a fine of €135 (about $159.)
- Macron said there won't be restrictions on public transit, and people will be able to travel between regions.
- The state of emergency will begin at midnight on Friday.
By the numbers: France has seen more than 820,00 cases in total, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.