Coronavirus

Paris Put On Maximum Alert As Coronavirus 'Is Moving Too Fast'

Bars shut, gatherings banned as Paris police chief says, "The epidemic is moving too fast."

Paris Put On Maximum Alert As Coronavirus 'Is Moving Too Fast'
Lewis Joly / AP
SMS

A sign the coronavirus situation is worsening in Paris: French authorities have placed the city on maximum virus alert.

Gatherings are banned and all bars will be forced to close on Tuesday. Restaurants are being allowed to stay open under some strict conditions.

Paris is seeing about 3,500 new cases each day. More than one in three ICU beds in the area are now filled by COVID-19 patients.

The Paris police chief told reporters, "These are braking measures because the epidemic is moving too fast. We have to slow it down so that our health system is not overwhelmed."