Coronavirus: France's intensive care units near full as COVID-19 infections hit record high

Medical staff provide care to a patient, at the intensive care unit for patients infected by COVID-19 of the university-affiliated hospital (CHU) Cavale Blanche in Brest
Medical staff provide care to a patient, at the intensive care unit for patients infected by COVID-19 of the university-affiliated hospital (CHU) Cavale Blanche in Brest Copyright LOIC VENANCE/AFP or licensors
By Anelise BorgesAlessio Dell'Anna
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Meanwhile Paris enforced additional restrictions for take-away and delivery services.

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France's intensive care units (ICU) are heading towards saturation point.

The country is struggling to bring its coronavirus epidemic under control, reporting another 58,000 new infections on Thursday.

That is the highest daily caseload since the pandemic began.

Fewer than a third of ICU beds left

Announcing the figures, the country's health director-general Jerome Solomon warned the country's second wave of  COVID-19 "is brutal and spreading quickly".

Nurses and doctors are under tremendous pressure all over France.

There are currently around 4,000 COVID-19 patients in intensive care units. Hospitals have around 1,800 places left.

Paris steps up curfew measures

Meanwhile, France, which is already in its second national lockdown, is taking additional measures to curb the virus spread.

Paris has tightened up its restrictions, slashing take-away and delivery services for restaurants, bars and grocery shops from 10 pm to 6 am.

The measure has come into effect on Friday.

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