COVID-19: France to announce country’s strategy for relaxing restrictions

France is all set to announce ease in coronavirus restrictions that have confined people into their homes for the past few months. According to reports, French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe will present the exit strategy relating to lockdown relaxation today in the National Assembly. Media reports suggest that Philippe will outline plans highlighting how the schools, businesses, and shops will operate after the confinement measures are relaxed. France went under a complete lockdown starting March 17, allowing only essential movements. 

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President Emmanuel Macron on April 13 announced that the country will see relaxation in lockdown restrictions starting from May 11, without mentioning the nitty-gritty of the plan. Now, Prime Minister Philippe is expected to issue new guidelines outlining how the country will move ahead after the relaxation. Philippe will also issue guidance on the testing and isolation of the sick, masks, and gatherings. The mortality rate in France has reportedly dropped compared to the initial numbers at the start of the outbreak in the country. 

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The peak in France has reportedly passed as the country recorded just over 3,700 new cases on April 27 compared to more than 17,000 on April 3. The new deaths in the country have also significantly decreased, recording just 437 new deaths compared to 1,438 on April 15. According to data by worldometer, France has reported 1,65,842 confirmed coronavirus cases so far, of which 23,293 people have lost their lives. The recovery rate in the country is at 66 percent with 45,513 recovered from the disease so far. 

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Coronavirus outbreak

The worldwide death toll due to coronavirus pandemic has surpassed the 2,11,000 mark with 3 million people infected as of April 27. The virus is believed to have originated from a seafood market in the Chinese city of Wuhan, the initial epicentre of the disease, where animals were reportedly being traded illegally.

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(Image Credit: AP)