France has entered a third wave of the Covid-19 pandemic and additional restrictions must be introduced, French Prime Minister Jean Castex said.
France is grappling with a steady increase in the number of new cases, leading to a heavy strain on the hospital system, especially in the capital, where infections have surged.
On Tuesday, the seven-day average of new cases rose above 25,000 for the first time since November 20.
Health authorities reported 29,975 new cases nationwide on Tuesday, a 4.5 per cent weekly jump, the sharpest in a month and a half. The number of people who died rose by 408, to 91,170.
"It seems to me that the time has come to consider new measures in the greater Paris region," Mr Castex said.
He said weekend lockdowns such as those already in place in two other regions were among measures to be considered for the greater Paris region.
"There is no reason why we shouldn't do in one region what we are doing in another," he said.
He told parliament: “We are in a sort of third wave of the epidemic, characterised by numerous variants.”
Like other EU countries, France lags far behind the United States and Britain in vaccinating its population.
The coronavirus situation is worsening in the greater Paris region where hospitals are under immense strain, the director general of the AP-HP Paris hospitals organisation, Martin Hirsch, said on Wednesday.
Mr Hirsch told RTL radio there were two options to contain the disease – a local weekend lockdown, already in place in other parts of the country, or a broader lockdown in the region.
"The virus is not under control. There are as many patients in intensive care units today as there were at the peak of the second wave," he said.
This week, President Emmanuel Macron said a new lockdown could be introduced within days.
The president still hopes a vaccination drive can stave off the effects of a new pandemic wave triggered by more contagious variants and prevent France from resorting to a third national lockdown.
But suspension of the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine, announced on Monday over safety concerns, could jeopardise the strategy.
Mr Castex said he was ready to get the AstraZeneca vaccine if European health authorities confirmed its safety and it was indicated that France was ready to lift the suspensions.
The European Medicines Agency reiterated on Tuesday that there was "no indication" the shot raised the risk of blood clotting after more than a dozen EU states suspended use of the drug until investigations are concluded.
AstraZeneca said there was no cause for concern and that proportionally fewer thrombosis cases were reported in immunised people than among the general population.
With 4.11 million people infected since the start of the outbreak, France has the sixth highest case count in the world.
Health officials said on Tuesday that a new coronavirus variant sweeping through north-west France could evade detection in standard tests.
The variant, first spotted in Brittany, “doesn’t suggest either increased severity or increased transmissibility” but there are indications its presence in patients is harder to confirm.
Brittany's health workers are trying to establish the extent of the variant's circulation as French authorities fear a third wave of the pandemic has arrived.
“An evaluation is under way to assess the possible impact of these genetic modifications ... on a lack of recognition by virological tests leading to an underdiagnosis,” the general directorate of health said.
The World Health Organisation confirmed it was investigating the variant because of its apparent ability to evade detection in people who had PCR tests.
Eight people were identified in the town of Lannion as carriers of the variant in a cluster of 79 cases.
Pierre Tattevin, professor of infectious diseases at the University of Rennes, said that in addition to these eight cases, there were “several dozen over the past few weeks”.
The incidence of the coronavirus in Brittany has risen steadily for about six weeks and is now at 133 cases per 100,000 people.
MATCH INFO
Barcelona 2
Suarez (10'), Messi (52')
Real Madrid 2
Ronaldo (14'), Bale (72')
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League, Group C
Liverpool v Red Star Belgrade
Anfield, Liverpool
Wednesday, 11pm (UAE)
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Francesco Totti's bio
Born September 27, 1976
Position Attacking midifelder
Clubs played for (1) - Roma
Total seasons 24
First season 1992/93
Last season 2016/17
Appearances 786
Goals 307
Titles (5) - Serie A 1; Italian Cup 2; Italian Supercup 2
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
ACL Elite (West) - fixtures
Monday, Sept 30
Al Sadd v Esteghlal (8pm)
Persepolis v Pakhtakor (8pm)
Al Wasl v Al Ahli (8pm)
Al Nassr v Al Rayyan (10pm)
Tuesday, Oct 1
Al Hilal v Al Shorta (10pm)
Al Gharafa v Al Ain (10pm)
Biography
Favourite book: Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance
Holiday choice: Anything Disney-related
Proudest achievement: Receiving a presidential award for foreign services.
Family: Wife and three children.
Like motto: You always get what you ask for, the universe listens.
Lexus LX700h specs
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By Mario Levrero
(Coffee House Press)
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
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Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
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Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
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F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
Results
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Emergency phone numbers in the UAE
Estijaba – 8001717 – number to call to request coronavirus testing
Ministry of Health and Prevention – 80011111
Dubai Health Authority – 800342 – The number to book a free video or voice consultation with a doctor or connect to a local health centre
Emirates airline – 600555555
Etihad Airways – 600555666
Ambulance – 998
Knowledge and Human Development Authority – 8005432 ext. 4 for Covid-19 queries
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The National Archives, Abu Dhabi
Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.
Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
INFO
SPECS
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How being social media savvy can improve your well being
Next time when procastinating online remember that you can save thousands on paying for a personal trainer and a gym membership simply by watching YouTube videos and keeping up with the latest health tips and trends.
As social media apps are becoming more and more consumed by health experts and nutritionists who are using it to awareness and encourage patients to engage in physical activity.
Elizabeth Watson, a personal trainer from Stay Fit gym in Abu Dhabi suggests that “individuals can use social media as a means of keeping fit, there are a lot of great exercises you can do and train from experts at home just by watching videos on YouTube”.
Norlyn Torrena, a clinical nutritionist from Burjeel Hospital advises her clients to be more technologically active “most of my clients are so engaged with their phones that I advise them to download applications that offer health related services”.
Torrena said that “most people believe that dieting and keeping fit is boring”.
However, by using social media apps keeping fit means that people are “modern and are kept up to date with the latest heath tips and trends”.
“It can be a guide to a healthy lifestyle and exercise if used in the correct way, so I really encourage my clients to download health applications” said Mrs Torrena.
People can also connect with each other and exchange “tips and notes, it’s extremely healthy and fun”.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
