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world news Diabierna 16 aPriL 2021

France hits unwanted milestone: Over 100,000 virus deaths

( AP ) - France on Thurs- of the people who died in the bag," he recalled. "It was like a
day became the third pandemic and their families. luxury garbage bag. And then
country in Europe after she was put in a coffin and
the U.K. and Italy to reach The pandemic was “so cruel” sent to cremation.” He was
the unwanted milestone to individuals “who some- not allowed to see her.
of 100,000 COVID-19-re- times were not able to ac-
lated deaths as new infec- company, during the last Petitpas said despite a decree
tions and deaths surged moments and in death, a fa- in January allowing people in
due to virus variants. ther, a mother, a loved one, a France to see their deceased
friend,” Macron said. Yet the loved ones, many places still
The country of 67 million crisis also shows “the abil- aren’t allowing it.
is the eighth nation in the ity of the French people to
world to reach the mark after unite." “All these people who left
a year of overwhelmed hospi- us (are) like people with the
tals, on-and-off coronavirus French government spokes- plague, without human dig-
lockdowns and enormous person Gabriel Attal sug- nity, with nothing at all,” he
personal losses that have left gested it is too soon to set a said. “When you’re told your fa- shops.
families nationwide grieving specific date to honor those ther was put in a bag and cov-
the pandemic’s impact. who died as France is now Celia Prioux-Schwab, a so- ered in bleach: imagine the An overnight nationwide
fighting another rapid rise in cial services worker, lost her image you get in your head,” curfew has been in place
France added 300 new deaths confirmed cases. 82-year-old grandmother in she said. since mid-December, and
Thursday to the previous January, four days after she all France’s restaurants, bars,
day’s tally of 99,777, bringing “There will be an homage for was sent home from the Re- Maysounabe feels families gyms, cinemas and museums
the total to 100,077 deaths. sure, a national mourning for ims hospital — even though and victims “are forgotten” have been closed since Octo-
the victims of COVID-19,” her family had no home-care still today. “We have got- ber.
Lionel Petitpas, president of Attal said Wednesday. “That option and she still had CO- ten accustomed to 300, 400
the group Victims of CO- time will come. ... today, we VID-19. deaths a day.” Schools are set to gradually
VID-19 told The Associated throw all our forces in the reopen starting April 26. The
Press that the number was battle against the epidemic.” She is now pushing for a Since Macron declared “war” government is anticipating
“an important threshold.” change in French law to guar- on the virus while announc- that other restrictions will
Experts say the 100,000 mark antee the right of families ing the country’s first lock- start being lifted around mid-
After months of people get- is an underestimate by thou- to visit hospitalized patients down on March 17, 2020, the May.
ting accustomed to the vi- sands. An analysis of death even during a pandemic, “to French have faced domestic
rus, the figure “is piercing certificates shows that some offer support, or even just to and international travel re- Macron was meeting Thurs-
a lot of minds. It is a figure COVID-19 cases were not say goodbye." strictions that have weighed day with officials to get
we thought would never be reported or patients were not heavily on everyday life. the nation prepared for the
reached,” he said. tested when people died at Corine Maysounabe, a jour- gradual reopening. Authori-
home, or in psychiatric units nalist in western France, has France plunged into a third, ties expects that 20 million
Petitpas, who lost his wife or chronic care facilities. been involved in a group partial lockdown at the be- people, about 38% of France's
Joelle on March 29 last year advising officials on a future ginning of April, as new in- adult population, will have
from the virus, said families Petitpas started a Facebook protocols for deaths dur- fections were surging and received at least one vaccine
of victims "want the govern- group last year for families of ing pandemics. She lost her hospitals getting close to shot by that time — up from
ment to make a collective victims to share memories of 88-year-old father last year saturation. The total number 11 million now.
gesture to recognize our col- their loved ones. Nearly ev- to the virus. She described of COVID-19 patients in in-
lective loss.” ery day, new testimonies ap- the “enormous trauma” of tensive care in France surged France has reported the most
pear. mourning rites being tram- past 5,900 this week. Mea- confirmed coronavirus infec-
French President Emman- pled on and bodies “treated at sures include closing schools, tions in Europe, more than
uel Macron told Le Parisien “My wife, like so many oth- the level of objects.” a domestic travel ban and 5.2 million.
newspaper he thinks about all ers, was just put in a body shutting most nonessential

China-drafted electoral reform bill introduced in Hong Kong

(AP) — Hong Kong’s elected representatives. reading with little opposition. fessions and interest groups.
electoral reform bill was Political freedoms have been All pro-democracy lawmak- Many of those constituencies
introduced in the city’s The bill is part of efforts to under threat since China ers resigned in November are pro-Beijing.
legislature on Wednesday, rein in political protests and imposed a national security following the ousting of four
setting in motion chang- opposition in Hong Kong, law on Hong Kong last year of their colleagues who were The electoral reform bill en-
es that will give Beijing which is part of China but and is now revamping its deemed insufficiently loyal visages the legislature with
greater control over the has had a more liberal po- electoral process as part of a by Beijing. only 20 elected members, 30
process while reducing litical system since the 1997 crackdown after months of chosen by the constituencies
the number of directly handover from Britain. pro-democracy protests in “This provides a sound and 40 by an Election Com-
2019 that brought hundreds foundation to ensure Hong mittee, which also appoints
of thousands to the streets. Kong’s system for patriots the city’s leader.
administering Hong Kong,
Hong Kong Secretary for and will bring the implemen- The committee, which will
Constitutional and Main- tation of ‘one country, two be expanded from 1,200 to
land Affairs Erick Tsang said systems’ back on the right 1,500 members, is dominated
at a meeting at the legisla- track,” Tsang said, referring by supporters of the central
ture that the bill will bolster to the semi-autonomy that government in Beijing.
the national foundation and China promised Hong Kong
improve the governance of for 50 years. A new, separate body will also
Hong Kong. be set up to review the quali-
In the current 70-member fications of candidates for of-
The bill was read for the first legislature, voters elect half fice in Hong Kong to ensure
and second time on Wednes- the members and the other that the city is governed by
day. It is expected to pass by half is chosen by constituen- “patriots,” in the language of
the end of May after the third cies representing various pro- the central government.