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France warns against handshakes as corona infections numbers soar

France will also keep several schools in the Oise area north of Paris closed after holidays end on Sunday in order to halt the spread of the virus, health minister Olivier Veran said.

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French authorities on Friday recommended that people refrain from shaking hands to prevent infection from the coronavirus as the number of confirmed cases jumped by 19 to 57, reports Reuters.

France will also keep several schools in the Oise area north of Paris closed after holidays end on Sunday in order to halt the spread of the virus, Health Minister Olivier Veran said.

“The virus is now circulating on our territory ... I recommend that, for now, people do not shake hands,” Veran told reporters at a daily briefing about the outbreak.

Veran called on citizens to help stop the spread of the virus by respecting authorities’ safety instructions.

Read more of this report from Reuters.