French restrictions have been extended as Italy’s death tol

French restrictions have been extended as Italy’s death toll rose above 20,000. Here’s the latest from around Europe on Monday:

President Emmanuel Macron extended the lockdown in France to 11 May, after 574 more deaths in the last 24 hours, bringing the total to near 15,000

In Italy 566 new deaths were recorded - a higher daily death toll than 24 hours earlier - pushing the country’s total to 20,465. The number of daily infections fell, as did the number of people in intensive care

Spain has allowed construction and manufacturing work to resume, as long as people follow strict safety guidelines

President Macron’s mission was to provide the French with some rays of hope in the gloom, but without making unrealistic promises.

He did it by fixing a date - 11 May - around which people can start thinking about planning their lives.

Monday, 11 May is the day which from now on will be at the centre of everything.

For many, its prospect will be what gets them through four more weeks of isolation - with all the psychological pressure that that entails. Others will find they can start imagining a world where ordinary things start happening again - like holidays, weddings, work-trips and walks in the park.

But the president was quite clear that the world post-11 May will not be like the world pre-17 March.

The old and vulnerable will continue to have to self-isolate. Cafes and bars will remain closed.

It was an important address because it contained the first hint of a France emerging from its cocoon.

But no-one is under any illusions about what awaits.

President Macron’s mission was to provide the French with some rays of hope in the gloom, but without making unrealistic promises.

He did it by fixing a date - 11 May - around which people can start thinking about planning their lives.

Monday, 11 May is the day which from now on will be at the centre of everything.

For many, its prospect will be what gets them through four more weeks of isolation - with all the psychological pressure that that entails. Others will find they can start imagining a world where ordinary things start happening again - like holidays, weddings, work-trips and walks in the park.

But the president was quite clear that the world post-11 May will not be like the world pre-17 March.

The old and vulnerable will continue to have to self-isolate. Cafes and bars will remain closed.

It was an important address because it contained the first hint of a France emerging from its cocoon.

But no-one is under any illusions about what awaits.

Tony,

Spain is being extended to 11th May as well.

France reports 762 more deaths in hospitals and care homes

France reported a further 762 Covid-19 deaths in hospitals and care homes on Tuesday.

The new figures brings the death toll in the country to 15,729.

Jerome Salomon, head of the public health authority, said the number of confirmed cases in the country is now more than 100,000.

He added that the number of people in intensive care had fallen for the sixth consecutive day.

On Monday, French President Emmanuel Macron announced an extension of the lockdown in France to 11 May.

He said schools would gradually reopen after the new extension but restaurants would stay closed and there could be no festivals until mid-July. He said the most vulnerable people should remain in isolation even after the rules were eased.

France death toll tops 17,000

France has revealed its death toll has now risen to 17,167.

10,643 of those died in hospitals, a rise of more than 500 over the past 24 hours.

However, the number of hospitalisations is down for the first time. The number of serious cases in intensive care has fallen for the seventh consecutive day.

6,524 people have died in care homes, a rise from the 5,600 reported as of Tuesday. However, public health authority head Jerome Salomon said this was due to a delay in reporting over the Easter weekend.

France records 753 deaths, but number in intensive care falls again

France reports another 753 fatalities in 24 hours - bringing its total death toll to 17,920.

The country now has the fourth highest number of reported deaths from coronavirus in the world.

Jerome Salomon, head of the public health authority, says the total number of people in intensive care units fell for the eighth day in a row to 6,248 - the lowest point since 1 April.

The number of confirmed cases now stands at 108,847, up from 106,206 the previous day.

France coronavirus deaths rise to over 19,000

French authorities say 364 people have died in the last 24 hours after contracting coronavirus, bringing the national total to 19,323.

The number of confirmed cases in the country has also risen to nearly 112,000.

But in a positive development, France's health ministry says the number of people being treated in intensive care units has fallen for a 10th consecutive day.

French coronavirus deaths near 20,000

France registered 395 more deaths from the coronavirus, bringing the total to 19,718, as the pace of increase in fatalities continued to slow and the number of people in intensive care fell.

France's public health chief Jerome Salomon told a news briefing that the total number of people in intensive care units fell for the 11th day in a row, to 5,744 , the lowest level since March 30.

Deaths rise above 20,000 in France

France has become the latest country to record more than 20,000 deaths related to coronavirus, a toll its director of health has called "symbolic and painful".

As of Monday, there have been 20,265 virus-related deaths in France - 12,513 of them in hospitals and 7,752 in nursing homes, Jérôme Salomon said.

"Tonight, our country is crossing a painful symbolic milestone," he said.

Three other countries have so far recorded more than 20,000 deaths - Spain, Italy and the US.

France nowhere near herd immunity, finds major new study

Less than six per cent of the French will have contracted the coronavirus by the time the country starts lifting lockdown next month, according to a major new study, which warned of a high risk of a “second wave” unless drastic social distancing is maintained.

Epidemiologists at the Pasteur Institute confirmed the “massive impact” of nationwide confinement in place since March 17 in France, which it estimates means that only 3.7 million people - some 5.7 per cent of the population - will have been infected by May 11 when lockdown is gradually lifted.

In their “snapshot” of France published by national research institute Inserm, the experts estimated the rate of infection per person with the virus had fallen from 3.3 before lockdown to 0.5 today - an 84 per cent drop.

While highly effective in preventing the French health system from collapse, confinement now poses a major problem, it warned.

“Our results strongly suggest that without a vaccine, group immunity will be insufficient alone to avoid a second wave at the end of lockdown. Efficient control measures must be maintained beyond May 11, it said.

The study put the death rate from those infected with the coronavirus at 0.5 per cent with men’s chance of dying 50 per cent higher than women who contract the disease.

Fall in number of new Covid-19 patients in France

France has reported 544 more deaths from Covid-19 in hospitals and nursing homes over the last 24 hours, but registered new falls in the total numbers of coronavirus patients.

The total toll from the epidemic in France has now risen to 21,340, health official Jerome Salomon said, adding that there were now 365 fewer coronavirus patients in hospital and 215 fewer in intensive care compared with the day earlier.

Fatality numbers in France falling

France has reported 389 coronavirus deaths today. It's a lower toll than in previous days and authorities also welcomed a drop in the number of patients in hospital and intensive care.

Jerome Salomon, the country's top health official, said the latest figures brought France's total toll to 22,245 in both hospitals and nursing homes.

But despite the gradually improving data, he cautioned: "The circulation of the virus remains high. We must be mobilised and respect social distancing, which must become a reflex."

French health system still 'under strain' despite continue fall in deaths

France has reported 369 more coronavirus deaths, a drop on previous days, as the number of people in intensive care also fell for the 17th day in a row.

While 22,614 people have died from the virus in France since the beginning of March, health officials said the mortality rate in hospitals was the lowest in a month, with 198 deaths in 24 hours.

However, 171 died in retirement and care homes, and officials said they were worried by an increase in critically ill patients suffering from other conditions.

More than 7,500 people are now being treated in the intensive care units across France - which is 50 per cent more than the country's total capacity before the epidemic struck.

The system was still under strain, officials said. "The rise in the number of patients in intensive care shows the necessity for those with chronic diseases to be looked after as well as taking care of those in emergency situations," a statement said.

Officials urged people with chronic diseases who are sick not to be afraid of contacting their doctors or medical carers.

French plans to 'unwind' lockdown to be unveiled Tuesday

French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe will present the government's plan to unwind the country's lockdown to parliament on Tuesday, his office said on Saturday.

The prime minister's statement next week will be followed by a debate and a vote.

The lockdown ordered by President Emmanuel Macron has been in place since March 17 to slow the spread of the coronavirus and is due to be lifted on May 11

French plans to 'unwind' lockdown to be unveiled Tuesday

French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe will present the government's plan to unwind the country's lockdown to parliament on Tuesday, his office said on Saturday.

The prime minister's statement next week will be followed by a debate and a vote.

The lockdown ordered by President Emmanuel Macron has been in place since March 17 to slow the spread of the coronavirus and is due to be lifted on May 11

been rioting in parts of Paris for 4 days...

French plans to 'unwind' lockdown to be unveiled Tuesday

French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe will present the government's plan to unwind the country's lockdown to parliament on Tuesday, his office said on Saturday.

The prime minister's statement next week will be followed by a debate and a vote.

The lockdown ordered by President Emmanuel Macron has been in place since March 17 to slow the spread of the coronavirus and is due to be lifted on May 11

been rioting in parts of Paris for 4 days...

There are things happening in Germany as well .

Paris police seize 140,000 face masks destined for black market

Police in France say they have seized 140,000 face masks that were destined for sale on the black market.

Officers say they discovered the haul when they spotted a businessman unloading the masks from a lorry into a house in St Denis, north of Paris.

France requisitioned all stocks and production of face masks to equip health workers.

There have been several seizures of masks in the Paris region since the pandemic began.