Lunchtime News Wednesday 1st April 2020

  
More than 30,000 dead in Europe, according to an AFP count - The new coronavirus pandemic has killed more than 30,000 people in Europe, including more than two-thirds in Italy and Spain, according to an assessment by AFP from official sources.

With a total of 30,063 deaths for 458,601 cases, Europe is the continent hardest hit by the Covid-19 pandemic. Italy (12,428 deaths) is the most affected European country, followed by Spain (8,189) and France (3,523).

Minister warns French not to think that they can still go on holiday for Easter - French Interior Minister Christophe Castaner has warned French people "not to think that they can go on holiday during the confinement period". Castaner warned the French who may be tempted to leave for the Easter holidays, that "these should not be synonymous with departures". He said that he had asked the prefects of tourist areas in France who are concerned, to ensure rental levels and warned of a strengthening of controls on the traditional routes of departure this Friday.

Meanwhile the minister also announced that 5.8 million police checks had been carried out in the last two weeks and 359,000 reports drawn up for non -compliance with the confinement rules.

Paris Stock Exchange - The Paris Stock Exchange drops 3.10%. The Paris Stock Exchange opened sharply down 3.10% to 4,259.94 points on Wednesday morning.

Service vouchers to help the homeless - The French government announced this morning the establishment of a service voucher system for 60,000 homeless people left completely destitute in full confinement, for a total amount of 15 million euros. These checks will allow them to have access to basic necessities.
 

4 patients from Paris hospital being transferred to Brittany - Four patients from the Paris hospital have been transferred this Wednesday to hospitals in Brittany. An operation intended to unclog the hospitals of Île-de-France.   

Do not wear masks, "a big mistake"? Did France - and the other Western countries - make a "serious mistake" by not recommending its population to wear a mask? This is what George Gao, the director general of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, said in an interview. Pierre-Louis Druais, general practitioner, member of the Scientific Council set up to monitor Covid-19 in France sais that "faced with this situation, he calls to be "pragmatic": "Today all health professionals must wear masks".

Russia sends humanitarian aid plane to US - Russia has announced that it has sent a plane loaded with humanitarian aid to the United States, hit hard by the pandemic linked to the new coronavirus which has killed more than 4,000. The aircraft, an Antonov-124 from the Russian Air Force, will have medical masks and medical equipment on board. The aid was mentioned in a telephone interview on Monday between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his American counterpart Donald Trump.