France ‘loses control’ of coronavirus amid steep rise in cases

People wearing masks, walk in the Invalides district of Paris (Lewis Joly/AP)

Virus patients now occupy more than half of France’s intensive care units, and some doctors are urging tougher restrictions after another record jump in confirmed infections.

Dr Jean-Francois Delfraissy, head of the government’s virus advisory body, expressed surprise at the “brutality” of the rise, after more than 52,000 new cases were reported on Sunday.