Municipal police officers check documents as they patrol in a street of Sceaux during nationwide confinement measures to counter the COVID-19. (Photo: AP) 

Paris (People's Daily) -- Director of France's public health agency, Jérôme Salomon, indicated at a daily press conference on Thursday that 12,210 people have died nationwide from the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) since March 1, including 8,044 deaths related to COVID-19 in hospitals, and 4,166 in social and medico-social establishments.

There are 86,334 COVID-19 patients receiving treatment at hospitals, an increase of 4,286 in 24 hours.

Additionally, 30,767 patients are being treated for the virus, including 7,066 in critical condition, a decrease of 82 patients from yesterday. This is the first reported drop in intensive care patients since the onset of the pandemic.

Roughly 31,415 confirmed or possible cases have been recorded in social and medico-social establishments, bringing France's total confirmed or potential COVID-19 cases to 117,749.

France will extend its nationwide lockdown to contain the spread of the virus for a second time that will run beyond April 15, the French presidential palace announced on Wednesday.

French President Emmanuel Macron will address the nation on Monday. It will be Macron's third prime time television address from the Élysée Palace since the crisis began.