Dozens of sailors on France’s flagship military aircraft carrier the Charles de Gaulle were today feared to have been struck down with coronavirus.
The ship has had to abandon its Mediterranean Sea mission and return to port. The armed forces ministry said around 40 staff were under strict medical observation.
Meanwhile the death toll in France has passed 10,000.
Official figures showed that more than 600 had died in hospitals in the previous 24 hours and 800 in care homes, bringing the total number to have died across the country to more than 10,300.
Despite passing the grim landmark France’s national health director, Jérôme Salomon, said the virus transmission rate appeared to be “slowing a bit”.
In Paris, a ban on exercising during the daytime came into effect today as the capital tried to keep up social distancing.
All outdoor sports activities in the city have been banned between 10am and 7pm.
Previously, Parisians were allowed to exercise outdoors for an hour while carrying a form explaining the reason why they were going out.
