So, it is au revoir, goodbye, from our live coverage of the coronavirus pandemic today, and do join us again tomorrow.

Updates were brought to you by Claire Heald, Doug Faulkner, Joshua Cheetham, Lauren Turner, Mal Siret and Sophie Williams.

Image source, EPA

It's been another busy day of coronavirus developments, with the latest being the new measures in France.

Here's what else has been happening both in the UK and across the world this Wednesday.

• Prime Minister Boris Johnson has defended the three-tier system of regional coronavirus restrictions that has started in England, saying it is the "right way forward" to "bring down the virus". He told MPs he hoped it would "avoid the misery of a national lockdown"
• Liverpool is currently the only area in the top tier, meaning it has the toughest restrictions. Two hours before they came into force, large crowds were pictured dancing and surrounding a police car - LIverpool's mayor has now said these images "shame our city"
• Wales is preparing to ban people travelling to the country from parts of the UK that have high rates of coronavirus. The new measure is set to come into force on Friday evening
• New restrictions are being introduced in Northern Ireland, with schools closing from Monday and pubs and restaurants facing new restrictions from Friday evening. Hospitality businesses will be limited to takeaway and delivery services for four weeks from Friday
• Infection rates are rising across Europe - and now new restrictions are being introduced in many countries. A partial lockdown comes into force in the Netherlands at 22:00 (20:00 GMT) and cafes and restaurants are closing. Spain's north-eastern region of Catalonia said that bars and restaurants will close for 15 days from Thursday. And the Czech Republic has shut schools and bars - it has had the highest rate of infection in Europe over the past two weeks.

Almost an hour into his TV appearance tonight, French President Macron has called for national unity, saying "we will get through this together".

Earlier he announced that, from Saturday, a four-week night-time curfew will be in place in Paris and eight other cities. He will also seek parliamentary approval to extend this to six weeks.

"If, during these six weeks, we follow the curfew, we act collectively to reduce the number of contacts, that’s the point at which we think we can progressively start to open again," said Mr Macron.

"I’m being very careful here because experience has shown that we can cannot control everything," he added. "We can’t outline everything but six weeks seems to us to be the best duration for our actions."

French President Macron is being interviewed by two journalists on TV for these announcements this evening, and he's said that people can still meet outside of curfew hours.

But he urged people to limit family gatherings to no more than six people. The president said exceptions could be made for those with over six people in their immediate families.

Emmanuel Macron said that anyone violating the curfew being imposed in major cities in France would be fined 135 euros ($158.61).

The nightly curfew will affect almost one third of the country's 67 million people. A new national lockdown is not expected, however.

Mr Macron said of the curfew: "We won't be leaving the restaurant after 9:00 pm. We won't be partying with friends because we know that that's where the contamination risk is greatest."

President Macron says during France's curfew, people will not be allowed to visit friends. All theatres, restaurants and bars will need to close during curfew, he added.

There will not be any travel restrictions between regions of France however and no restrictions on public transport.

Work and schools are also to continue as normal.

Image source, Emmanuel Macron/YouTube

From Saturday, curfews will be in place in the French capital, Paris, and eight other cities including Grenoble, Lille, Lyon and Toulouse, President Emmanuel Macron announces.

The restriction will be in place from 21:00 to 06:00 local time. And is to last for at least four weeks.

It comes as France re-imposes a state of health emergency to contain the spread of coronavirus.

French President Emmanuel Macron's imminent announcement comes as French authorities say the number of people being treated in hospital has risen above 9,100 for the first time since 25 June.

The fear is the growing number of cases could overwhelm the country's hospital system.

See more graphs here.

Image source, Getty Images

France is re-imposing a state of health emergency to contain the spread of Covid-19, the government says.

It comes shortly before President Emmanuel Macron is due to appear on national television at 19:00 GMT. He is expected to detail fresh coronavirus measures.

The change will allow "measures proportional to the health risks to be taken", and will come into force on Saturday, according to minutes from a cabinet meeting and reported by AFP.

The country, like many European nations, is grappling with rising case numbers in the pandemic's second wave.

Macron will give interviews with two French journalists in his TV appearance, his office says.

Earlier this week, Prime Minister Jean Castex said lockdowns may be introduced again if infection rates do not improve in hard-hit areas.

Image source, Getty Images

Record numbers of cases of coronavirus are continuing to be announced around Europe today, as the continent grapples with a fresh wave of infections.

Italy, once the global epicentre of the pandemic, has reported 7,332 new infections - its highest daily increase on record.

Romania has also added a record 4,016 cases to its tally. And as we reported earlier, records have been broken today in Russia, Slovenia, Croatia and Bosnia.

Meanwhile 11,970 new cases have been reported in Spain. While not a record, it comes as Spain continues to report the highest number of infections in Europe - currently over 908,000, according to Johns Hopkins University.

Image source, Getty Images

We've been hearing today about the new "tier" levels of coronavirus alert in England, which put areas in medium, high and very high categories of risk and restriction.

The Liverpool City Region is the only area to be under the toughest Tier Three Covid-19 restrictions which came into effect at midnight, making it illegal for gyms in the area to open.

But some gyms in Liverpool are staying open - despite being ordered to close.

Chris Ellerby-Hemmings, co-owner of EmpoweredFit gym in the Wirral, said: "We are not staying open for financial gain but more for our members' mental and physical wellbeing. The reason for doing it is to be listened to."

The gym, which has 14,000 members, is one of dozens in Merseyside that have remained open.

Some medical experts say gyms could encourage the virus to spread, as they are humid and confined spaces with shared equipment.

But Mr Ellerby-Hemmings told the BBC his gym was Covid secure.

The BBC has contacted the Liverpool City Regional Combined Authority and Merseyside Police for comment.

With all the changes you can be forgiven if you are unsure of what the restrictions are where you live.

To find out what the rules are in your area you can use our handy postcode checker here.

BBC Newsbeat

The number of mental health referrals for under-18s halved in the first two months of lockdown, according to new data.

Young people who weren't able to get NHS support said they didn't know where to go for help and felt like they "didn't really matter".

Charities are worried that a drop like this could happen again if there are further lockdowns around the UK.

The data, obtained by Newsbeat, indicated that the number of people in England referred to Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) dropped by 47% during April and May, compared with the same months in 2019.

CAMHS is the name for NHS mental health support for people until they are 18.

Replies to Freedom of Information (FOI) requests from 40 NHS Trusts in England showed 22,735 patients were referred, compared to 42,887 patients in that same two months last year.

Another 10 trusts weren't able to answer within the deadline.

Image source, Manchester City Council

Manchester's German-themed Christmas markets have been cancelled this year because of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.

Hopes of having even three small mini-markets have also been abandoned due to fears of the spread of coronavirus.

Manchester City Council has already scrapped any organised Bonfire night events while the switching on of the city's Christmas lights will not be marked formally, and New Year's Eve will not have a fireworks display.

Meanwhile in Germany itself, authorities are weighing up whether to go ahead with their own Christmas markets. Several state leaders, including Bavaria's Markus Söder, have said the events could still be held, but with compulsory mask-wearing for guests, along with other preventative measures.

Image source, Getty Images

Earlier today, we reported that bars and restaurants in the Spanish region of Catalonia will be closing from tomorrow, for 15 days, as part of efforts to curb the spread of coronavirus.

Restaurants will still be able to serve takeaway and delivery orders, but locals have been sharing their concerns with Reuters news agency.

"This will be the end for us," said restaurant manager Benito Mateo. "The restaurant industry was already bad but with this it will be total chaos.”

Restaurant customer Pilar Ferrer has also described the decision as "very risky".

"On the one hand I feel bad for them because they will earn less money, but I also consider that it is a sanitary measure and that it must be respected," he added.

There were 647 patients admitted to hospital with coronavirus in England on Monday, the day the most recent data is available from - up from 472 the previous week. It brought the total, since the pandemic began, to 125,343.

There are currently, as of Wednesday, 4,146 people in hospital in England. A week ago, there were 2,944 in hospital.

The different nations of the UK report their hospital figures in a slightly different way, so information from Wednesday is not available everywhere yet.

In Scotland, 527 Covid-19 patients were in hospital as of Tuesday, up from 262 a week earlier.

In Wales, 345 Covid-19 patients were in hospital as of Tuesday, up from 261 a week earlier.

And in Northern Ireland, 150 Covid-19 patients were in hospital as of Monday, up from 129 the previous week.

M Ilyas Khan
BBC News, Islamabad

Image source, Reuters

Authorities in Pakistan's densely populated financial capital Karachi have ordered more than 20 daily markets to close indefinitely amid fears of a rise in Covid infections as winter approaches.

The "bachat" (savings) bazaars told to shut are all in central Karachi, where cases are higher than average. In recent weeks city authorities have enforced "micro lockdowns" in more than two dozen areas.

The markets were launched in the 1980s to provide food, clothing and other goods at cheaper prices for the less well-off.

Sindh province, of which Karachi is the capital, has less than a quarter of Pakistan's population but accounts for nearly half of its total coronavirus infections and deaths.

Last month, most bazaars started to reopen after a strict lockdown was eased in Karachi and other urban centres in Sindh.

Image source, Getty Images

As case numbers continue to grow around Europe, here are some of the biggest developments from across the continent:

• In Spain, bars and restaurants will be closing tomorrow for 15 days in the region of Catalonia. With more than 896,000 cases, Spain is currently the worst-hit country in Europe
• Pope Francis has signalled his intention to distance himself from worshippers following criticism over his relaxed attitude to virus restrictions.
• Slovenia has reported 707 new infections, a record number. The government said "new measures will be introduced, because those which are currently in force have not yielded results"
• Authorities in neighbouring Croatia have also confirmed a record 748 new cases, a week after setting a previous record. New measures are being rolled out in the country this week, including a ban on gatherings of more than 50 people
• A record was also set in nearby Bosnia, with 482 new cases, and in Russia, with 14,321

Northern Ireland's Nightingale hospital will reopen, health minister Robin Swann says.

The temporary facility at Belfast City Hospital was stood down in May when coronavirus cases decreased.

Mr Swann said the hospital had to be formally established again due to "rapidly escalating pressures" across all of NI's health trusts.

"It is not something I wanted to do - it was a decision I tried to hold off on for as long as possible," he said.

Read more here.