France on Friday reported that 299 more people had died in hospital from the coronavirus epidemic over the last 24 hours, bringing the total death toll from the epidemic in the country to 1,995, AFP reports.

Top French health official Jerome Salomon told reporters that 32,964 people had tested positive for the virus so far in France, although the real number of cases is likely far higher as testing was reserved for high-risk patients.

The daily toll, while severe, is lower than the 365 new deaths reported on Thursday. The toll in France does not include those who died at home or at retirement homes.