PARIS (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 23rd October, 2020) France on Thursday reported a new record rise in COVID-19 cases with 41,622 new infections registered over the past 24 hours alone, according to figures from the Sante Publique agency heading the coronavirus response in the country.
This takes the total number of COVID-19 patients to 999,043.
The death toll from the disease has increased by 165 since the last update, taking the total to 34,210, according to the Sante Publique.
Another 10,166 people have been hospitalized with COVID-19 in the past week, 1,627 of whom were taken to intensive care.
Meanwhile, French Prime Minister Jean Castex has warned that the epidemiological situation in the country would be difficult in the coming weeks.
"The weeks ahead will be tough, our health services will be overwhelmed and the death toll will continue to rise," Castex told reporters.
The prime minister added that if the situation got worse, the country would impose harsher restrictions.
