France has extended its coronavirus lockdown for a month as president Emmanuel Macron admitted the country was “not sufficiently ready” for the crisis.
The French leader said the strict rules “must be respected” over the next four weeks but told the public that the epidemic was “starting to slow down.”
Mr Macron, addressing the nation on Monday night, thanked those who were observing the lockdown and added: “everyday we have made progress.”
But he said: "Our country was not sufficiently ready for this crisis. We will all draw all the consequences.”
He said that by May 11 when the lockdown is now projected to end, France would be able to test every citizen showing Covid-19 symptoms.
France is going through "difficult times", President Macron said on Monday, acknowledging that his country had not been sufficiently prepared early on to face the challenges posed by the outbreak.
"The epidemic is starting to slow down. The results are there," Mr Macron said in a televised address to the nation. "Thanks to your efforts, everyday we have made progress."
The death toll in France from the new coronavirus outbreak has risen to 14,967 from 14,393 a day earlier, the French public health authority said on Monday.
The body added 6,821 patients were currently in intensive care units, down from 6,845 on Sunday.
The health authority said it was important to remain vigilant because hospitals were still taking in a very large number of patients.
