Virus cases increase worldwide

Surge in infections prompts Europe to tighten up steps against COVID-19

Four more cities in France have passed into the maximum coronavirus alert zone and must implement stricter restrictions from Saturday morning, French Health Minister Olivier Veran said on Thursday.

"The health situation continues, unfortunately, to deteriorate. There are in France, every day, more and more people infected," said Veran at a news conference, specifying that 116 out of 100,000 people are now carriers of the virus at the national level.

Lille, Grenoble, Lyon and Saint-Etienne passed into the maximum alert zone, he said. Marseille and the overseas territory of Guadeloupe were already on maximum alert from Sept 28 and Paris from early this week.