Covid-19 virus: The situation in France

There have been 130 confirmed cases of coronavirus in France to date, the Ministry of Health has said in its daily press briefing on the public health issue.

The Ministry said that 116 patients are being treated in hospital for the illness, which is officially referred to as Covid-19.

A further 12 have been treated and discharged. Two more have died, an 80-year-old patient from China, who died on February 14, and a 60-year-old French teacher, on February 26.

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A total 12 of France's 18 metropolitan regions have reported at least one case of the virus, with notable clusters in the Oise and Haute-Savoie.

So far, no cases have been confirmed in any overseas territories, officials said, but the situation is being carefully monitored, with so-called reference hospitals designated in each overseas department and region.

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