France reports 987 more coronavirus deaths, toll tops 13,000

France on Friday reported 987 more COVID-19 deaths registered in hospitals and nursing homes over the last 24 hours, although the number of patients in intensive care fell for the second day in a row.

The new deaths -- including 554 in hospitals and 433 in nursing homes --- brought the total toll in France to 13,197 since the epidemic began, top health official Jerome Salomon told reporters.

A child aged under 10 infected with COVID-19 died, but Salomon said that the causes of the death were "multiple".

In better news, Salomon said there were now 62 fewer people in intensive care, continuing a trend first seen on Thursday. 

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