Medical staff transfer a patient infected with the coronavirus to a train at the Gare d'Austerlitz train station in Paris, April 1, 2020.  (Photo: AP)

Paris (People's Daily) --Since the start of the epidemic in France, 6,494 people have died in hospitals and 2,417 in care homes, bringing the nationwide death toll to 8,911, Olivier Véran, the French Minister of Health announced on Monday. 

According to the latest numbers, 604 patients died in hospitals in the same 24-hour period, marking the worst fatality rate in a single day in France. 

Latest figures from Véran showed that 29,722 people are hospitalized including 7,072 patients in intensive care, while an additional 478 people in 24 hours. 

There are 74,390 COVID-19 infections, an increase of 3,912 in 24 hours. 

Some 23,620 confirmed or possible cases have been recorded at nursing homes, taking France's total confirmed or possible COVID-19 cases to 98,010.