France Coronavirus Deaths Rise by 306 to 25,201

(Bloomberg) -- Deaths in France linked to the coronavirus rose at fastest pace in five days on Monday, with the country reporting an increase of more than 300 fatalities for the first time this month.

The number of deaths rose by 306 to 25,201, France's public health agency said in an e-mailed statement. The number of new infections rose by 1,199 to 203,253.

Lockdown measures around Europe have started to slow the spread of the virus, and governments are now looking at lowering restrictions to limit the damage to their economies. France plans to ease its lockdown starting May 11, reopening shops as one of the first steps, as the pressure on hospitals and intensive care units subsides.

“We need to redouble our collective efforts,” the agency said in the statement. “They are effective in slowing the epidemic.”

Patients in intensive care because of the virus, which health officials have cited as a key indicator of how the pandemic is impacting France's hospital system, fell by 123 to 3,696, down from a peak of 7,148 ICU patients on April 8. Hospitalizations fell by 267 patients to 25,548.

France's daily coronavirus figures have fluctuated amid inconsistent reporting from nursing homes, which were first included in the tally last month.

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