France becomes fourth country to pass the 20,000 coronavirus death toll

• France's public health chief Jerome Salomon told a news briefing the coronavirus-linked fatalities were up 2.8pc, at 20,265, versus an increase of 2.0pc Sunday.

But the number of people in intensive care fell for the 12th consecutive day, suggesting the national lockdown put in place more than a month ago is having positive effects in containing the disease.

France's public health chief Jerome Salomon told a news briefing the coronavirus-linked fatalities were up 2.8pc, at 20,265, versus an increase of 2.0pc Sunday.