UPDATE - France sees 854 more deaths from coronavirus

ADDS INFORMATION ON LOCKDOWN

By Cindi Cook

PARIS (AA) - France reported 854 new coronavirus deaths Tuesday, with the total number of fatalities now standing at 38,289, according to the country's Health Ministry.

The latest figure includes 426 people who died in hospitals in the past 24 hours and 428 others who had died in nursing homes since Friday, the ministry said.

There were 36,330 new cases reported Tuesday, a sizable drop of 16,188 over the last 24 hours. The total number of infections now stands at 1,502,763.

A total of 26,265 people have been hospitalized over the disease. Some 3,878 of them are in intensive care.

Ninety-six departments in the country remain in a vulnerable position, with 2,448 clusters of infection around the country considered serious.

Meanwhile, the country's National Assembly initially voted last night to extend the lockdown period announced by the government on Oct. 17 to Feb. 16, 2021 due to a significant increase in coronavirus cases.

But despite a proposal in parliament by members of French President Emmanuel Macron's ruling Republic on the Move (LREM) party to extend the lockdown as part of the fight against the outbreak, the opposition suggested that everyone should spend time with their families at Christmas.

With the ruling party not winning enough seats in parliament during the last elections, they were overruled and the lockdown could only be extended until Dec. 15.

In France, the lockdown, which was declared for two months in March, was re-implemented on Oct. 17 by a government decree.

The lockdown gives the government the power to restrict certain freedoms throughout the country or in certain regions and to confiscate any assets and services deemed necessary.

Worldwide, the death toll from COVID-19 stands at over 1.2 million in 190 countries since the virus was first detected in Wuhan, China in December last year. The number of infections stands at almost 47.5 million, according to the latest figures from US-based Johns Hopkins University.

The Union of Community Pharmacists also announced Tuesday that 40% of French pharmacies will begin antigen testing for the virus in their shops by the end of this week. Some 80% of all pharmacies have already ordered the tests and half have been received.