Covid-19 hospitalisations dip for first time in France

The number of patients in hospitals in France with coronavirus has fallen for the first time since the beginning of the epidemic.

A total 31,779 Covid-19 patients were being treated in hospitals, Director General of Health Jérôme Salomon confirmed on Wednesday evening - 513 fewer than on Tuesday.

The fall in hospitalisations followed a seventh consecutive day in which the number of patients in intensive care had fallen - from 6,730 on Tuesday to 6,467 on Wednesday. The figures included 263 new ITU admissions.

A total of 17,167 people have died from the coronavirus in France, up from 15,729 on Tuesday. Of these, 10,643 were hospital deaths and 6,524 deaths in nursing homes for the elderly.

Dr Salomon said that the sharp rise in deaths was due to delays in collating data over the Easter weekend and updated information from nursing homes.

On Monday, President Emmanuel Macron extended the lockdown in France until May 11. It has been in force since March 17.

The government has said a "high plateau" of the epidemic curve has been reached, but that in order to continue the downward trend, people needed to continue to respect the rules of staying at home and social distancing.