France reports lowest number of Covid-19 deaths in 7 months

France has reported its lowest number of Covid-19 deaths in seven months as lockdown restrictions in the nation begins to ease.

The country’s daily toll fell to a low of 70 on Sunday, while the seven-day moving average of daily new cases slipped below the 13,000 level for the first time since late 2020.

Health ministry figures published over the weekend also showed the number of people being treated for the disease in intensive care units has fallen for the 20th consecutive day, by 29 to 3,515, almost half the total five weeks ago.

It comes as France gradually loosens its lockdown with secondary schools now reopened after a four-week break to ease the tide of infections.

Residents are also now allowed to travel further than six miles from home and can go anywhere in the country.

The government hopes to lift all major restrictions by the end of June.

After a slow start, France’s vaccination programme has been gaining pace, with 34.5 per cent of the total population having received at least one shot as of Sunday and 14.5 per cent two shots.

There has also been an uptake in the number of people downloading the country’s contact-tracing app.

It has now been downloaded by 16.5 million people, the minister for digital affairs told Reuters, surpassing the minimum level it needed to work efficiently.