August 1st 2020

Day 135 – 48th day of de-confinement phase III

Saturday

The coronavirus seems to be accelerating in countries across the world with Australia the latest to announce a record number of daily cases (723 on 29/07).

The world’s two worst-affected countries – the United States and Brazil – have also reported new highs for coronavirus deaths and cases. In the US the death toll has surpassed 150,000, with Florida, California and Texas among a number of states reporting record daily fatalities.

Over 17 million people around the world have been diagnosed with the new coronavirus. Some 9.9 million patients have recovered, and more than 668,000 have died, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.

✦✦✦✦✦

Even in our little corner of France the relatively small numbers are nevertheless on the rise again with 25% more hospitalisations in Occitanie in the past 7 days. Bearing in mind that the majority of French people are starting their holidays this weekend and millions are currently on the roads to reach our shores in the south of France within the next 48 hours, I expect numbers on new cases to rise in about a fortnight. I can only recommend to be extremely cautious in the coming days.

✦✦✦✦✦

Today I am doing nothing because I started doing it yesterday and I was not finished.

I am no quitter.

✦✦✦✦✦

Heatwave is to be expected in the Rhone Valley, southern Languedoc and Provence where the very hot air stagnates with peaks reaching 36 to 41 degrees.
The tramontane is gradually setting up and will blow up to 60 to 80km/h in the afternoon and evening.

✦✦✦✦✦

THE VIRUS IS STILL OUT THERE

Pic of the day

The daily dash board

World

Today’s data

France

Occitanie

Information, news and tips

✦✦✦✦✦

►The new French Prime Minister M. Jean Castex made his introduction speech (available here in French) to parliament on July 14th. I think the speech’s closing remarks shows where we are heading for as a nation.

“I have assembled a fighting government around me. A government of women and men who are more determined than ever to work as closely as possible to the ground, in a spirit of cooperation and proximity, which is the raison d’être of this government.

We have 600 days ahead of us. 600 days to protect the French people, their jobs and their purchasing power in the face of the crisis. 600 days to reinvent our ways of doing things and put the environment at the heart of our actions and our territories. 600 days to restore the authority of the State and preserve our social pact. 600 days to build the foundations of tomorrow’s France.”

►August 1st changes

Electricity: a further increase in regulated tariffs
After a 2.4% increase (including tax) on February 1, regulated electricity prices for residential customers should rise by 1.54% on August 1.

Gas:For the first time since December 2019, regulated gas rates, which change each month, will increase on August 1, by an average of 1.3%, excluding taxes.

► I would not attempt to go anywhere by car this weekend which is classified black as far as traffic is concerned. This is historically the worst weekend to travel due to the July holiday makers returning home and the August holiday makers departing.

► No Tour de France 🚲 this year but as a small consolation prize the second of four stages of “La Route d’Occitanie” will start from Carcassonne tomorrow August 2nd.