Daily COVID-19 deaths hit one-week low in France

The number of COVID-19 fatalities in France was up to 28,714 after 52 new patients died in the last 24 hours, the lowest daily tally in a week, the French Health Ministry said on Friday.

COVID-19 patients in intensive care units went down to 1,361 from 1,429 on Thursday, continuing a downward trend for nearly seven weeks.

Since the start of the epidemic, France has 149,668 confirmed COVID-19 cases, up from 149,071 on Thursday. As of Friday, 14,695 patients remained hospitalized, 513 fewer than a day before, while 67,803 have been cured and returned home, a single-day increase of 612.

France will enter "phase two" of deconfinement from Tuesday. The nationwide 100-km travel restriction will be lifted and bars, restaurants, cafes, parks, beaches, museums will reopen. But in the greater Paris region, the easing of restrictions will be more cautious.

"This good news, which is the result of good behavior and respect of barrier measures (during "phase one" of deconfinement since May 11), should not make us forget that the virus is still circulating on national territory and that it remains dangerous," the ministry warned.

(CGTN)