PARIS: France reported 534 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 18 new deaths from the virus on Thursday, hours after ministers urged people to start wearing masks in enclosed public places to prevent a new flare-up of the epidemic.

According to health ministry data, the total death toll since the outbreak started reached 30,138, and the number of confirmed cases was 173,838.

The number of people in hospital was 6,796, down 119 over the previous 24 hours, and the number of those in intensive care was 481, one fewer than a day earlier.