The trans-Atlantic cruise ship Costa Luminosa arrives in the port of Marseille, southern France, Thursday, March 19, 2020. (Photo: AP)

Paris (People’s Daily) -- The French ministry of solidarity and health announced Thursday that there were 1,861 new cases of COVID-19 in France compared with a day earlier.

A total of 10,995 cases were diagnosed, of which 4,461 were admitted to hospital for treatment, 1122 were severe, and 372 were fatal.

French President Emmanuel Macron announced that he will provide another 5 billion euros for medical research within 10 years.

The Director-General of the Public health France, Geneviève Chêne, predicts that the development of the French epidemic is expected to decelerate in 2 to 4 weeks and to reverse in mid-May or by the end of May.