Coronavirus has claimed the life of a French doctor as the country prepares for an expected surge in cases.
France's Health Minister Olivier Veran confirmed the news on Sunday, and paid tribute to the country's frontline medical staff during a TV appearance.
According to France 3 Hauts-de-France, the deceased doctor was an emergency specialist working at a hospital in Compiegne, north of Paris, one of the first areas in the country to be badly affected by Covid-19.
The doctor died after being transferred to Lille.
"The medical profession is making a heavy sacrifice in our country today," Veran said.
"I was informed yesterday evening of the death of a hospital doctor. It is, to my knowledge, the first situation that has struck a hospital doctor."
The minister refused to give "more precise information", in respect of the family's privacy.
Veran said the death "emphasised the extraordinary courage shown by all the doctors, nurses, firefighters and other people who help save lives every day".
"There is a very heavy price paid by the great family of doctors in our country today." he added.
Asked about the impact of the shortage of masks for health workers, the minister said: "What we know is that most of the caregivers who might contract the disease won't contract it as part of their hospital work, but outside it.
"Protective equipment is absolutely essential for caregivers, but with or without protective equipment you can be sick in your professional practice, you can be sick even when you are a caregiver."
Separately French supermarket retailer Auchan announced a 1,000 euro ($1,070) bonus to 65,000 of its employees for their work during the crisis, amid concerns over staffing in some critical areas of the economy and public services.
The government may roll out a tax-free coronavirus "attendance bonus" to citizens who are unable to work remotely and continue in their jobs, officials have said.
Veran also said the country was counting on workers to keep essential services running despite the nationwide lockdown.
He told France 24: "We're asking citizens to continue mobilising to keep our economy working.
"Not for the sake of economic objectives or budgets, but because a single missing link can bring down the entire production system."
