Paris: Since the country reported its first Covid-19 death in mid-February, a total of 57,567 people have died in hospitals and nursing homes, according to the health authorities.

Hospital admissions fell by 256 to 24,975, while the number of patients in intensive care units (ICUs) dropped by 75 to 2,884, maintaining a running slowdown first recorded on November 14, Xinhua reported.

Thanks to a night-time curfew and nationwide lockdown introduced in October, France's number of new infections decreased to around 10,000 per day from nearly 50,000 in late October and pressure on hospitals had eased.

The number of people with Covid-19 decreased by 6 percent this week, compared to a 31-percent fall a week earlier, indicating "a high risk of the virus resurgence in the coming weeks," the country's Public Health Agency said in a report Friday.

"After four weeks of strong decline, the indicators stalled and remained at high levels," it said, urging "the greatest vigilance, especially during year-end celebrations."

Therefore, France would fall far short of its goal of a maximum of 5,000 new cases per day by December 15, when the lockdown was scheduled to end. The government forced to impose stricter rules.

Cinemas, theaters, performance halls, museums, circuses, zoos and casinos would not open their doors on December 15 as planned because "the conditions set for their reopening are unfortunately not met," Prime Minister Jean Castex said on Thursday.

Starting from next week, a curfew would run from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. -- an hour earlier than planned, and "will be strictly controlled," said the PM.

The night-time movement ban would be lifted for Christmas but would remain in place for New Year's Eve.