The total number of deaths from the coronavirus in France reached a new high on Saturday as the government included more previously unreported deaths in nursing homes.
The health ministry reported 441 new deaths from COVID-19 in the country's hospitals on Saturday - less than the high of 588 reported on Friday - for a total hospital death tally of 5,532.
For the third day in a row, the ministry also reported the cumulative tally of deaths in nursing homes since the start of the epidemic in early March, which were previously unreported.
This added another 2,028 deaths to the national tally for a total death toll of 7,560, an increase of 1,053 on the cumulative figure reported on Friday.
Previously unreported, nursing home deaths now make up nearly a third of total coronavirus deaths.
"This pandemic is totally unprecedented. It is imperative that people respect confinement, now is not the time to ease up," health ministry director Jerome Salomon said at a daily briefing.
Salomon said that confirmed coronavirus infections in hospitals rose by another 4,267 cases to 68,605 - up 7% but slower than Friday's 9%.