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Face masks made compulsory in busy areas of Paris

After a steady rise in numbers of people testing positive with Covid-19 virus infection in Paris and its suburban ring, where the percentage of those testing positive is also above the national average, the wearing of face masks in 'crowded zones' has been made compulsory as of Monday.

La rédaction de Mediapart

This article is freely available.

Wearing a face mask will be compulsory in busy parts of Paris from Monday amid a rise in coronavirus infections in and around the French capital, reports BBC News.

Police said the order would apply to people aged 11 and over in "certain very crowded zones".

The virus had been circulating more widely in the region since mid-July, they said. Face masks are already compulsory in enclosed public spaces.

Experts have warned that France could lose control of Covid-19 "at any time".

Several cities, such as Nice and Lille, have introduced their own additional orders making mask-wearing mandatory in certain outdoor areas.

Paris authorities have not yet detailed which areas will be affected by the new order, which will come into force at 08:00 (06:00 GMT) on Monday.

The zones where masks are mandatory will be evaluated on a regular basis, they said.

In a statement on Saturday, authorities said the rate of positive coronavirus tests was 2.4% in the greater Paris area, compared to the national average of 1.6%.

They added that 400 people were testing positive for coronavirus every day in the region, with those aged between 20 and 30 particularly affected.

Read more of this report from BBC News.