Paris hospitals on emergency footing for virus

Paris hospitals are activating emergency measures to cope with COVID-19 patients, who are filling 40% of the region's intensive care units. Authorities already shut down bars in Paris and several cities and limited private gatherings. The emergency hospital measures can involve adding hospital beds and postponing non-urgent surgery.

Paris hospitals are activating emergency measures to cope with COVID-19 patients, who are filling 40% of the region's intensive care units. The French health minister is expected to announce new restrictions Thursday for areas where hospitals are facing strain and infections are mounting. Authorities already shut down bars in Paris and several cities and limited private gatherings.

The emergency hospital measures can involve adding hospital beds and postponing non-urgent surgery. Such measures were taken in March and April when the pandemic first appeared in Europe. France reported a record daily count of 18,700 new cases Wednesday, and COVID-19 patients now occupy a quarter of ICU beds nationwide.

France has recorded more than 693,000 cases and 32,463 confirmed deaths.