France sets curfew and restores state of emergency amid Covid infections

People dine at a restaurant as French President Emmanuel Macron gives an address on television (AP/Bob Edme)

President Emmanuel Macron has announced that 18 million French citizens in nine regions, including in Paris, will face a curfew starting on Saturday and continuing to December.

He also reinstated the state of health emergency for the country, which ended three months ago. The 9pm curfew is aimed at limiting the resurgent coronavirus amid second wave.