There are now 25 coronavirus clusters in France, spread out around the country and centred on workplaces, hospitals and social gatherings.
But although these sound worrying – particularly the ones in the 'green zones' that have largely escaped the worst effects of the virus so far – doctors say the fact they are being identified is good news in controlling the spread of Covid-19.
CARTE. Coronavirus: où se situent les 25 nouveaux clusters identifiés depuis le début du déconfinement? https://t.co/7pwxkEUWrK pic.twitter.com/KHqO0HOLkq
— BFMTV (@BFMTV) May 18, 2020
Every French region except Normandy and Corsica has at least one cluster, with three clusters each in the greater Paris region of Île-de-France, Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes, Occitanie and Pays-de-la-Loire.
The type of clusters vary, some are linked to social events such as the cluster in Dordogne that was identified after dozens of people gathered after a funeral for the wake, and some are centred on workplaces – there are clusters linked to slaughterhouses in Cotes-d'Amor and Loiret.
#Coronavirus : 25 nouveaux #foyers épidémiques en France depuis lundi >> https://t.co/O1WWXaT8RO #cluster pic.twitter.com/xcgfkXTjR0
— Le Parisien Infog (@LeParisienInfog) May 17, 2020
In the greater Paris region a cluster in Hauts-de-Seine is linked to a block of affordable accommodation for young workers while two clusters – one in Maine-et-Loire and one in Cote-d'Amor – are centred around hospitals.
But while this sounds like a step backwards as France marks a week since it started to loosen its tight lockdown restrictions, doctors and scientists are more positive.
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