France records 762 more COVID-19 deaths, nationwide toll soars to 15,729

France on April 14 recorded 762 deaths due to COVID-19, taking its total toll from the coronavirus pandemic to 15,729. According to reports, the total number of patients under critical condition fell for the sixth consecutive day, by 91 to 6,730. Despite the heavy death toll, health official Jerome Salomon told the press that the condition in France was improving because of the month-long lockdown that was extended on April 13 for another three weeks. 

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French President Emmanuel Macron in a televised address to the nation on April 13 announced an extension of lockdown period until May 11. Macron said that schools would gradually start to open from May 11, while cafes and other cultural venues would remain shut until further notice. Macron also insisted that the only way to halt the virus outbreak is by developing a vaccine, adding that there was no evidence of so-called herd immunity working in France with only a minority of the population infected by the disease. 

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According to data by worldometer, France has recorded 1,43,303 confirmed coronavirus cases so far, of which 15,729 people have lost their lives. There are currently 98,769 active cases in France with over 6,000 severe infections. France has successfully treated more than 28,800 patients as of April 15. France remains the fourth most affected country in the world after the United States, Spain and Italy.

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Coronavirus outbreak

The deadly Coronavirus infection has claimed more than 1,26,700 lives across the world and has infected over 20,00,200 people globally since it first broke out in December 2019. China was the most affected country until last month before Italy, Spain, the US, UK, Iran and France surpassed it to record the most number of deaths anywhere in the world due to COVID-19. The virus is believed to have originated from a seafood market in China's Wuhan city, the epicentre of the disease, where animals were reportedly being traded illegally.

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(Image Credit: AP)