The new cases come on top of 200 cases already identified in the region. These numbers cannot all be linked to clusters or incoming travellers from abroad, says Olivier Véran, which could indicate the start of community spread of the new variants.
New measures may become necessary to contain infections, with the mayor of Metz, François Grosdidier, considering a local lockdown. The health minister will visit the area on Friday to decide on next steps.
The general Covid situation in France is currently fairly stable, but with the spread of the new variants this could change very quickly.
