icon bookmark-bicon bookmarkicon cameraicon checkicon chevron downicon chevron lefticon chevron righticon chevron upicon closeicon v-compressicon downloadicon editicon v-expandicon fbicon fileicon filtericon flag ruicon full chevron downicon full chevron lefticon full chevron righticon full chevron upicon gpicon insicon mailicon moveicon-musicicon mutedicon nomutedicon okicon v-pauseicon v-playicon searchicon shareicon sign inicon sign upicon stepbackicon stepforicon swipe downicon tagicon tagsicon tgicon trashicon twicon vkicon yticon wticon fm
31 Mar, 2020 18:15

France records worst day of Covid-19 deaths as health official laments ‘totally unprecedented’ situation

France records worst day of Covid-19 deaths as health official laments ‘totally unprecedented’ situation

Health officials in France have confirmed the worst one-day fatalities from Covid-19 since the start of the outbreak there, with 499 deaths in a single day. The figure brings the country’s overall toll from the virus to 3,523.

The new tally marks a third consecutive day of increased coronavirus deaths in France.

Delivering the figures in a press briefing on Tuesday, Director General of Health Jérôme Salomon described the situation as "totally unprecedented in the history of French medicine." 

Also on rt.com France will produce 15mn face masks per week by end-April – Macron

The number of total confirmed cases rose by some 17 percent to 52,128, with over 22,700 people currently hospitalized with the illness. The death toll is expected to rise even higher once the data starts taking into account deaths in retirement homes, as well as in hospitals.

The news comes soon after global coronavirus deaths rose above 40,000, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University in the US and the AFP news agency. Worldwide, more than 820,000 people have been diagnosed with Covid-19 since the outbreak was first recorded late last year in China.

Also on rt.com Global Covid-19 death toll hits 40,000 as countries continue to struggle with outbreak

Think your friends would be interested? Share this story!

Podcasts
0:00
27:26
0:00
27:2