The mayor of Nice, in the south of France, asked tourists to leave on Sunday, as the holiday destination is facing a sharp rise in COVID-19 cases.
“We will be happy to receive many tourists this summer, once we win this battle, but it is better to have a period while we say ‘don’t come here, this is not the time,'” Mayor Christian Estrosi told Radio France Info.
He called on the government to impose tougher restrictions on the Mediterranean city, such as a weekend closure, to deter tourists.
“We need strong measures that go beyond the 6 p.m. national curfew, whether it’s a tighter curfew or a partial, time-specific closure. A weekend closure would make sense,” Estrosi said.
Nice has fought the highest infection rate in the country, with 740 new cases per week per 100,000 inhabitants, according to local figures.
Estrosi said the influx of visitors who came during the holiday season contributed to the increase in cases.
“It’s been a long time since everyone came here. A weekend closure would put an end to this, without stopping economic activity in the city, ”Estrosi said.
With publishing cables