France has recorded almost 10,000 new coronavirus cases in 24 hours, marking its highest single-day count since the start of the outbreak.
Health authorities reported 9,843 new confirmed Covid-19 cases on Thursday, surpassing the previous daily record by almost 900.
The figures were released on the eve of a key meeting of ministers and health experts about toughening measures.
France has the seventh-highest Covid-19 death toll in the world.
More than 30,800 people in the country have died of coronavirus.
The number of patients in intensive care units in the country has also been rising in recent days. While hospital figures are still far from the peaks reached in April, there are concerns over the strain that rising infection rates could put on the health system. (BBC)
