COVID-19: France reports 35 new deaths

By Cindi Cook

PARIS (AA) - France on Saturday reported lower fatalities from coronavirus as it marked the 76th D-Day anniversary and the liberation of Europe from the Nazi regime.

Due to travel restrictions, visiting the graves of the fallen all over France proved challenging for this year's World War II commemoration.

With 35 more deaths, the fatalities reached 29,142 nationwide, the Health Ministry said.

The tally of infections has risen to 153,634, an increase of 579 cases over the previous day.

The number of hospitalizations dropped on Saturday with cases coming in at 12,479, a drop of 217 patients from the previous day. Those in intensive care fell to 1,059, down by 35 patients over the past day.

Despite the severity of the virus, most people experience mild symptoms and recover. Since the start of the outbreak, 70,806 people have recovered in France from the epidemic and returned home.

After originating in China last December, COVID-19, the disease caused by coronavirus, has spread to 188 countries and regions across the world.

The pandemic has killed almost 363,000 people worldwide, with total infections reaching over 6.8 million, while nearly 2.8 million people have recovered from the disease, according to figures compiled by the US-based Johns Hopkins University.