Photo: Xinhua

PARIS, June 21 (Xinhua) -- With seven new COVID-19 deaths registered in the past 24 hours, France saw the overall fatalities of the epidemic up to 29,640 on Sunday while new confirmed cases slowed, according to data released by the Health Ministry.

The total human loss caused by the respiratory illness included 19,183 in hospitals while data related to nursing homes would be refreshed on Tuesday.

As of Sunday, 9,823 patients with the COVID-19 were hospitalized. Of them 715 were in intensive care units, unchanged from a day before.

Some 284 people have infected the virus in one day, taking the total of confirmed cases to 160,377. That was lower than Saturday's 641 and Friday's 811.

France, which gradually eased national lockdown from May 11, will enter a new phase of de-confinement on Monday. Cinemas and casinos will resume activities and sports event attracting no more than 5,000 people will be allowed.