France extends state of health emergency to July 24 due to pandemic

France on Saturday decided to extend the health emergency state imposed to fight the new coronavirus for two months until July 24, Health Minister Olivier Veran said. 

A proposal to be put to parliament on Monday said the lifting this month of the emergency, which began on March 24, would "be premature" and "could see a risk of the outbreak" intensifying.

France has now reported 167,305 confirmed COVID-19 cases, with the death toll surpassing 24,600. 

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