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 – MacronThe 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.
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