国际英语资讯:France struggles to contain coronavirus with proportional, progressive strategy_时事

国际英语资讯:France struggles to contain coronavirus with proportional, progressive strategy

Nearly one week later, tougher measures were announced as the COVID-19 tally exceeded 1,000 cases. Some 300,000 students were called to stay at home. All public gatherings of 1,000 people are banned across French cities until April 15, except public services and events considered "useful to national life."

New measures also included a decree to facilitate access to teleconsultation to help hospitals better manage influx of patients linked to the coronavirus.

In addition, hospitals would trigger the "white plan" of extra mobilization which allows to reinforce nursing and administrative staff, offer more beds and limit patients visit.

"We have a system adapted and proportional to the crisis. Measures are implemented based on the spread of the virus. We have anticipated a lot and we are learning from the experiences of others," said Rafik Massmoudi, emergency doctor at the European Georges Pompidou hospital in Paris.

DRASTIC STEPS NOT EXCLUDED

In the latest update, Health General-Director Jerome Salomon announced 1,784 positive cases and 89 patients hospitalized in intensive care, up by 372 and 66 respectively in one day.

France offers around 4,500 beds in intensive care units. The figure could increase to 11,000 to treat critical situations, according to Professor Jean-Michel Constantin, deputy secretary general of the French academic association of anaesthesia and resuscitation.

"Each hospital has already set aside an intensive care service for COVID-19 patients, but we know that more units (such as recovery rooms) will soon need to be opened and equipped with respiratory devices. The material aspect does not worry us. All the large hospitals have reserves of ventilators," Constantin told Le Figaro newspaper.