French death toll rises, ICU cases dip

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

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

The number of people in intensive care units fell to 6457, a drop of 273, director general of health Jerome Salomon said on Wednesday.

It was the seventh consecutive day of declines, suggesting the country-wide lockdown, extended to May 11 on Monday, is having positive effects in containing the disease.