France's infection rate has soared in recent weeks in a resurgence blamed on the British variant of Covid-19, which has now resulted in a third national lockdown
Death rates are also climbing and the total is nearing the tally of 100,000 which has already been reached by the UK and Italy
* Macron announced a new national lockdown on Wednesday night in an address
* He explained the measures were in response to the spread of the 'British variant'
* From Saturday, all of France will be under a 7 p.m. curfew, with schools closed
* Non-essential shops will also close, with domestic travel and gatherings limited
* Macron has sought to avoid a third national lockdown since the start of the year
* But his options have narrowed during a third wave blamed on the British variant
* Number of intensive care patients passed 5,000 on Tuesday, the worst this year
France will enter a third national lockdown for four weeks, French president Emmanuel Macron announced in an address to the nation on Wednesday night.
The decision comes as a third wave of Covid-19 - blamed largely on the so-called 'British variant' of the virus - surges across Europe and countries face a race against time to vaccinate their populations.
'The epidemic is accelerating, and we are likely to lose control, so we must find a new way of reacting. We must therefore set ourselves a new framework for the coming months,' the head of state said during the dramatic address.
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More News On French President Macron Ordering A Complete COVID-19 Lockdown Across All Of France
France to close schools and extend Covid-19 lockdown to all of the country, Macron says -- France 24
France risks 'losing control' over Covid-19 spread without stricter national measures -- Macron -- CNN
