France sees its lowest daily coronavirus death toll in three weeks as number of new victims drops to 395

FRANCE has seen its lowest daily death toll in three week as the number of victims has dropped to 395.

The total number of patients in intensive care also fell for the 11th day in a row – the lowest level since March 30, the health minister said today.

Read our coronavirus live blog for the latest news & updates

French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe said the outbreak is improving “slowly but surely”, but warned the health crisis was far from over.

France has recorded almost 20,000 deaths and is about to enter its fifth week of lockdown.

Mr Philippe said there were signs that pressures on hospitals were easing, after the number of people in intensive care dropped for several days in a row.

He said during a press conference today that an economic crisis was only just starting as a result of the outbreak, adding that it would be “brutal”.

This could be sign that France is turning a corner in its outbreak as the government is set to start easing some confinement measures from May 11.

Mr Philippe Philippe that businesses, shops and transport will “gradually reopen”, but not cafes and restaurants.

He said social distancing still needs to be followed as restrictions will start to be lifted.

He added that not every school will be reopened on May 11, and the government is still planning on what “the right method” is to allow pupils to go back to the classroom.

It comes as Europe is slowly relaxing lockdown restrictions after Covid-19 has rampaged its way across the continent – and the world – hitting Italy and Spain particularly hard.

Draconian restrictions were brought in for most of Europe, enforcing working from home, leaving the house only for exercise and to help others.

In Italy, Spain and France it was even more severe, with exercise even more restricted and serious fines issued for anyone out of their home for no good reason.

As some of the measures are lifted due to case numbers and death rates coming down, citizens are not ready to break the lockdown regime just yet.

Many people fear a second wave of infections is still to come, while the world works hard to develop a vaccine.

Austria and Italy are allowing thousands of shops to reopen while in Spain non-essential workers are returning to factories and building sites.

Italy, Europe’s worst-hit country with more than 20,000 deaths, last week extended its nationwide lockdown until at least May 3.

But it is allowing a narrow range of small businesses to reopen including launderettes and shops selling books and children’s clothes.

In the UK the first steps towards normal life could begin within the next four weeks if infection rates begin to fall.

The UK coronavirus death toll today surpassed 16,000 as fatalities increased by 596.

Health authorities confirmed 16,060 people had died in hospitals across the country as infections rose by 5,850 to 120,067.

In just 24 hours, 784 deaths in England were confirmed yesterday, including patients between 26 and 100-years-old, bringing the total to 13,918.