French PM Phillipe: Coronavirus crisis easing, but far from over

French Prime Minister (PM) Edouard Philippe told a news conference late Sunday, the coronavirus situation in France is improving “slowly but surely” but he warned that the crisis is far from over.

Key quotes

Falls in the number of people in intensive care were one of the encouraging signals that pressures on hospitals were easing.

It won’t be a return to normal life.

As France introduces more testing, people with coronavirus would have to remain isolated at home or in hotels laid on by the government.

From May 11, we will enter a second phase, when we will regain some of our freedoms.

According to Reuters, “France - which has recorded close to 20,000 deaths as a result of the pandemic and has the fourth-highest toll in the world - has been in virtual lockdown for nearly five weeks and is due to start lifting some confinement measures from May 11.”

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