The French authorities are planning to transfer some COVID-19 patients to Germany for ramped up treatment, as several hospitals creak under pressure of rising coronavirus cases, AFP reported quoting a hospital federation on Tuesday. 

Frederic Valletoux, president of the FHF hospitals federation, said some patients of the worst-affected northern region of Hauts-de-France may be moved to Germany as well as other regions of France.

The move comes amid the government’s apparent plans of re-imposing a night curfew in Paris, in addition to present confinement measures, to make it tougher to bunk lockdown rules.

The capital and its suburbs have been hit hard by spiralling coronavirus cases, with hospitals filling up fast.

“Some regions are feeling enormous pressure,” Valletoux told reporters, as reported by AFP.

He added that the transfer of patients will take place within the coming 10 days, when intensive care units in the country are expected to reach the saturation point.

Some patients had already been transferred to other hospitals in France, especially Brittany where COVID-19 cases are relatively rare, he said.

During the height of the first wave of cases in March and April, France had to send dozens of patients to Germany as well as Austria, Luxembourg and Switzerland.

Earlier Tuesday, the French government seemed in a curfew kerfuffle when spokesman Gabriel Attal said Paris residents would soon have to be off the streets at night, similar to the 9:00 pm to 6:00 am curfew set last month.