Coronavirus: Nearly half of all hospital beds in Paris now occupied by Covid patients, says French PM

France’s prime minister Jean Castex has warned that 46 per cent of hospital beds in Paris are now occupied by Covid-19 patients, amid a surge in cases nationwide. 

It is not feasible to increase intensive care unit (ICU) capacity, Mr Castex told a press conference on Thursday, meaning the only available strategy is to soften the trajectory of rising infection rates – described as “vertical” by the head of Paris’s public health authority. 

The French capital’s ICUs are expected to be filled with a minimum of 800 to 1,000 coronavirus patients by the end of next week, representing 70 to 90 per cent of their capacity, Martin Hirsch, who heads up 39 public hospitals as chief of the city region’s public hospital group, told Le Parisien newspaper this week.

More than 22,000 new cases were identified in France on Wednesday - a total three times greater than during the first peak in April - prompting the government to declare a state of emergency, handing officials greater powers to contain the outbreak’s spread.

In an evening address to the nation on Wednesday, president Emmanuel Macron announced Paris would be among nine French cities placed under a strict 9pm curfew in a bid to prevent their hospitals being overwhelmed, alongside Grenoble, Lille, Lyon Toulouse and Marseille.

The new measures – among the strictest of any adopted so far in Europe – come into effect on Saturday at midnight and will last for at least four weeks, with breaches to be punishable by fines starting at €135 for first offenders.

Clarifying the details of the curfew measures, which affect some 20 million people, Mr Castex said residents would be allowed to leave their homes during the forbidden period to go to work, visit hospitals and pharmacies, take pre-booked train or airplane journeys and even walk their dogs, provided they could show relevant exemption documents.

Restaurants will still be able to deliver takeaway food during the curfew period, he added, clarifying that under France’s new state of emergency, all private parties – including weddings and student gatherings – would be banned.

His announcement follows a pledge from Parisian mayor Anne Hidalgo to ask the culture secretary “to find solutions or exceptions so that authors and performing artists can continue to present their creations to the public in strict compliance with health rules”.

Urging Parisians to “remain united and follow the restrictions… even if they are harsh”, Ms Hidalgo tweeted: "Paris will continue to support all those who bring it to life: traders, restaurateurs and the entire world of culture. 

“I also spare a thought for the most fragile, isolated people and our young people, already severely affected by this crisis.”

And with already ailing hospitality businesses fearing the worst, French finance minister Bruno Le Maire promised more government help for the sector, saying companies would be exempt from their social charges if their revenues were down more than 50 per cent.

The prime minister was also forced to address an ongoing inquiry into the government’s handling of the coronavirus crisis, which saw police carry out dawn raids on Friday at the homes and offices of some of the country’s most notable politicians.

Former prime minister Edouard Philippe, former health minister Olivier Veran and his predecessor Agnès Buzyn were among a range of other senior officials subjected to searches by law enforcement, after dozens of complaints were launched by patients, doctors, and police and prison staff, particularly over shortages of PPE and other equipment.

Mr Castex said the raids did not jeopardise the affected officials’ positions, and that confidence in them remained total.

Additional reporting by Reuters