On Friday, France imposed a new lockdown as the cases of coronavirus increased forcing other countries to consider following suit, with Europe passing 10 million total infections.
From midnight, France’s 65 million people were largely confined to their homes, needing written statements to leave, in the latest drastic measure to curb a disease that has infected more than 44.5 million people worldwide and killed nearly 1.2 million.
Italy posted its own daily infection record on Friday, fuelling debate about whether it should follow France into a national lockdown.
“Over 31,000 cases and 199 deaths. I ask you one question: what are you waiting for?” virologist Roberto Burioni tweeted.
In the French capital Paris, some medics voiced fears that steady traffic and appreciable numbers of people on public transport showed the public was not taking the lockdown as seriously a second time round.
President Emmanuel Macron has warned that the second wave will probably be more difficult and deadly than the first in a country that has already seen 36,000 deaths.
Europe has again become the epicentre of the pandemic, recording 40 percent more cases this week than the previous seven days, according to an AFP tally.
