PARIS (REUTERS) - The number of people in France infected with coronavirus on Friday (Aug 8) rose by 2,288, a new post-lockdown high, following increases of 1,604 on Thursday and 1,695 on Wednesday, the health ministry said in a statement.

It also said that the cumulative death toll from the virus now stood at 30,324, an increase of 12 compared to seven on Thursday and nine on Wednesday.

The number of people in hospital continued its weeks-long slide, falling by 49 to 5,011, while the number of people in intensive care fell again by 7 to 383 after it rose on three days this week.

The number of people in ICU had been falling steadily every day from a high of 7,148 on April 8, but that trend reversed this week and the number of people in ICU is now higher than seven days ago.