Paris on July 23, 2020 | Christophe Archambault/AFP via Getty Images
The designation means French authorities could impose new restrictions.
Government officials declared Paris and the Marseille region as zones of active virus circulation in an official bulletin Friday, paving the way for more restrictive measures.
The designation means French authorities could impose restrictions such as shutting down public places like restaurants and bars and prohibiting long-distance travel from the affected areas. No new measures have yet been announced.
The infection rate in the French capital is on the up and last week masks were made mandatory in certain parts of the city. On Thursday, the health ministry announced 2,669 new cases of COVID-19 had been recorded across France in a 24 hour period.
That attracted attention in London, which on Thursday night said arrivals from France would again face quarantine requirements, following similar decisions for countries including Belgium and the Netherlands. Travelers from France arriving in the U.K. from Saturday will need to self-isolate for two weeks.
