France's Louvre museum to reopen on July 6 as lockdown eases

As the coronavirus outbreak gradually subsides in some parts of the world, the Louvre museum in Paris has said that it would be open for visitors from July 6. In the statement released on May 30, France’s hotspot for visitors said that the booking system for the people would enable them to maintain social distancing to the maximum extent and they will be asked to wear a mask.

Moreover, the Eugène Delacroix National Museum is also working on reopening from June 22 and Tuileries garden in front of the museum would open on May 31. They were closed on March 13 and have now revealed plans of entertaining the people with their new programs after French Prime Minister Édouard Philippe announced the easing of restrictions. 

Earlier, France’s Culture Minister Franck Riester had said in a statement that country’s main historical sites would resume functioning but only gradually between June and mid-July. Louvre director Jean-Luc Martinez has said that even though it was possible for people to virtually discover the “treasures” of the museum virtually, “nothing” can replace the emotion visitors feel while standing in front of the artwork. According to international reports, the number of visitors on Louvre’s site between March 12 and May 22 was 10.5 million while in all of 2019, 14.1 million browsed through the site. 

Read - France's First Transgender Mayor Marie Cau Vows For Social, Environmental Development

 Martinez said, “The Louvre museum is happy to announce that it will be able to reopen its doors after weeks of confinement which have become essential for everyone.”

Read - Patrons Under Plastic: Restaurants Get Creative In Virus Era: France

Read - France's Virus Tracing App Ready To Go, Parliament To Vote

New clusters emerge around France

Meanwhile, as the country announced its plans to reopen, French national health agency reported a drastic jump in the new coronavirus infections just 60 minutes after Philippe declared a lifting of some measures. International news agency clarified with the government that the spike in cases was not linked to the second wave of COVID-19 infections, instead, they were an outcome of the new accounting method. 

Moreover, statistics reportedly have shown at least 96 coronavirus clusters around France since the government starting easing restrictions on May 11. Till now France has recorded total 186,923  cases of COVID-19 and at least 28,717  deaths. 

Read - France Halts Use Of Hydroxychloroquine For COVID-19 Patients

Read - Virus Count Revised, New Clusters Emerge As France Reopens

Image Source: AP