French coronavirus death toll rises, intensive care numbers down

The number of people who died in France from the coronavirus infection in hospitals and nursing homes reached 17,167 on Wednesday, the head of the public health authority said.

The total death toll stood at 15,529 on Tuesday.

The number of people in intensive care units fell to 6,457, a drop of 273, director general of health Jerome Salomon said. It was the seventh consecutive day of declines, suggesting the national lockdown, extended to May 11 on Monday, is having positive effects in containing the disease.