Oct 14, 2020 - World

Macron declares state of emergency, curfew as COVID-19 cases rise in France

Fadel Allassan

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.

Add Axios on Google

Macron declares state of emergency, curfew as COVID-19 cases rise in France

What to read next