The French health ministry said today a staggering 5,429 people have been infected with the deadly virus over the last 24 hours. This marks a new post-lockdown high.
This brings the total number of people infected with the virus in France to 253,587.
Due to a technical glitch, the figures for the cumulative death toll and for hospitalisations for today were not available.
On Tuesday, the ministry said the death toll had risen by 16 bringing the total to 30,544.
Around 4,600 people were in hospital with 410 in intensive care.
France reports new post-lockdown record (Image: Getty)
Paris was deserted during lockdown in March (Image: Getty)
On Monday, France became the sixth most infected country on the continent, behind Russia, Spain the UK, Italy and Germany.
So far more than 30,000 people have been killed by the virus in France.
France has taken the decision to close all schools, universities and nurseries in a bid to contain the outbreak.
President Emmanuel Macron urged anyone aged over 70, disabled or in poor health to stay at home and limit social contact as much as possible.
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French Prime Minister Jean Castex (Image: Getty)
This figure comes after Mr Macron held a defence council meeting this week to establish further measures to fight against the pandemic.
Mr Macron ruled out another nationwide lockdown and moved in favour of “targeted confinement” and “local strategies”.
He said: “There is no such thing as zero risk in society.
“We need to respond to anxiety [over COVID-19] without giving into a zero-risk doctrine.”
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Coronavirus cases around the world (Image: Express)
Last week, the French President said a vaccine against the deadly virus could be ready soon.
“We have improved European cooperation on the vaccine together, by associating many other States and the Commission” in encouraging EU manufacturers to look for vaccines, he said during a joint press conference with Angela Merkel.
“And to ensure that we will have the capacity to produce them and deliver them to our populations when they are available.”
Countries around the world are currently scrambling to find a vaccine but so far, none have found a solution.
French President Emmanuel Macron (Image: Getty)
France’s Prime Minister Jean Castex has since announced masks are now mandatory in all theatres and cinemas.
He said: “Yes, I will say to the public, go to the cinema, go to the theatre. You are risking nothing.
“The cultural sector has really suffered in this crisis.
“That means that we are firstly thinking of culture as an economic activity, and that, if there is a French quality, it’s that to live with this virus will also mean being cultured with this virus.”
Face masks are now mandatory across France (Image: Getty)
Despite flights to and from the country still taking off, airlines have started cancelling services due to a huge drop off in demand.
France is currently in its third stage, the full epidemic stage, of the outbreak meaning the virus is circulating actively across the country.
Jérôme Salomon, who heads the country’s health service said the coronavirus epidemic in France was “very worrying” and the situation “deteriorating very fast.”
France is progressively reducing long-distance train, bus and plane travel on its territory over the coming days in a bid to limit the spread of coronavirus.
Emmanuel Macron says a vaccine will be ready soon (Image: Getty)
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has issued some guidance about travel to France.
The FCO website reads: “There is an ongoing outbreak of coronavirus in China and elsewhere, including France.
“The French authorities are dealing with confirmed cases of coronavirus in the Oise, Haute Savoie and Brittany.
“If you’re in these areas you should follow the advice of the local authorities.”