‘We are at the start of this crisis’, Macron warns quarantined France

President’s comments come four days after citizens told to stay at home

President Emmanuel Macron has warned France that it is only experiencing the start of the coronavirus crisis, four days after he declared a nationwide lockdown.

The country has so far recorded almost 11,000 coronavirus infections and 372 deaths from the disease.

On Friday, Mr Macron told a crisis meeting at the interior ministry: “We are at the start of this crisis. We have taken exceptional measures to absorb this first wave, but we’ve started a race against the virus.”

“We must react a great deal and reorganise ourselves at every moment. We need to anticipate,” he added.

The president also urged employees in key businesses such as supermarkets and production sites to continue working in order to help keep the economy afloat.

“We need to keep the country running,” Mr Macron said

Under the new rules, businesses that remain open must enforce strict social distancing, handwashing and disinfection.

France has been on lockdown since Tuesday morning, meaning that its 67 million citizens may only leave their homes under certain conditions, including to go to buy food and medical supplies.

People wishing to leave their homes must fill in a form to state the reason for doing so.

Over 4,000 fines were given out on the first day of the measures to people who had broken the rules, according to the interior minister Christophe Castaner.

Mr Castaner said: “If needed we will be rigorous and will sanction people. Most of the French people have been responsible and have changed their behaviour, but there are a minority behaving in a dangerous way.”

As of Thursday, the fine for violating the quarantine rules was increased from €35 (£31) to €135 (£121).

The interior minister said this could soon rise to €375 (£336).

On Friday, the mayor of Nice said he will be shutting the city’s famous Promenade des Anglais to help France’s efforts to tackle the coronavirus outbreak.

Christian Estrosi also told France’s LCI TV that he might also implement a curfew in the city.

Agencies have contributed to this report