“We are only at the beginning of this epidemic, and everywhere in Europe it is accelerating and intensifying,” Macron warned in a televised address to the nation.
Shortly before Macron spoke, health authorities reported almost 600 new cases and 13 new deaths in 24 hours, taking France’s total number
of confirmed infections to 2,876, of whom 61 have died.
Macron urged citizens older than 70 to stay at home as much as possible, and called on employers to encourage staff to work from home.
But he said experts had agreed that there was no reason to cancel mayoral elections across the country, due to take place in two rounds this Sunday and the Sunday after.
The French president also promised aid to businesses, including increased state backing for short-time working and temporary lay-offs with minimal pay reduction.
A ban on evicting tenants in the winter will be extended through May.
As Europe lashed out at US President Donald Trump’s decision to ban visitors from much of the continent, Macron also sounded a note of caution about border closures within the EU.
The Czech Republic earlier announced stricter border controls on neighbouring Germany and Austria to take effect at midnight, with arrivals to be limited to 11 designated border crossings.
“This virus has no passport. We will have to unite our forces,” Macron said, arguing border closures should be taken only when strictly relevant and “as Europeans, at a European level.”
Earlier, Trump defended his decision not to inform European nations before imposing a travel ban on citizens from within the Schengen area.
“We had to move quickly,” Trump said adding that Britain was excluded as, in his view, the government there was a doing a good job.
German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas bemoaned a decision “laced with recriminations” and references to European failures in tackling the crisis.
Austria’s Foreign Ministry expanded its coronavirus travel warning to all countries across the globe, calling on citizens to return home while they still can.
European airlines were left reeling at the news of a 30-day ban on lucrative transatlantic routes. Shares in low-cost carrier Norwegian Air plunged by 22.4 per cent.
Scandinavian carrier SAS said it would keep flying routes until the ban is enforced at midnight on Friday (0400 GMT on Saturday).
Meanwhile several European markets plunged by 10 per cent or more after a European Central Bank (ECB) emergency monetary package fell well short of what investors had expected.
ECB President Christine Lagarde called on governments to draw up a coordinated action plan to tackle what she said was “a major shock” to the global economy.
Following a crisis meeting, the EU executive said it would present an additional package on Friday to help member states struggling with the economic impact of the outbreak.
As the crisis worsened across Europe, governments continued to scramble to contain the pandemic, sending public employees home, shuttering schools and restricting travel and gatherings, as officials warned the health care systems could be overwhelmed.
In Italy, which has seen the world’s worst coronavirus outbreak after China, with 15,113 cases and 1,016 deaths, restrictions were tightened even further. All shops were to be shuttered except for food shops, pharmacies, tobacconists and newspaper sellers.
Denmark, which now has more than 600 confirmed cases, reported a rush of people seeking to stock up on basic supplies and was forced to urge people to refrain from panic buying.
But Queen Margrethe cancelled all events planned to mark her 80th birthday on April 16.
Nearby Norway announced its first fatality, and also placed its royal couple under home isolation under new precautions applied to persons returning from outside the Nordic region.
Neither King Harald and Queen Sonja, who last week paid a three-day state visit to Jordan, had any symptoms, the royal palace said.
The Baltic states also announced a slew of similar protective measures, called on citizens to avoid travel and imposed quarantines on returning travellers.
Latvia, with 16 cases, announced a state of emergency that will run until Easter, closed its schools through to April 13 and banned gatherings with more than 200 people.
Lithuania, where three people are infected, is already in a state of emergency. Vilnius closed kindergartens, schools and universities for the next two weeks, while country’s sporting and cultural facilities are also to remain closed for five weeks. The government also banned events involving more than 100 people.
Estonia, with 17 infections, likewise restricted some events, suspended teaching at some schools and postponed the beginning of cruise season by a month.
The Spanish island of Mallorca and Austria also reported their first deaths.
Poland, which also reported its first fatality, quashed earlier suggestions the country was considering postponing presidential elections due May 10.
Britain, meanwhile, recorded 134 new cases and four new fatalities in the past 24 hours, bringing the country’s total number of deaths from the virus to 10. (dpa)
