According to public health authorities, the number reached this level because of "problems in reporting test results". On Wednesday, France reported some 40,500 cases.
Director General of Health Jérôme Salomon said the current second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic was “brutal” and the infection was “spreading rapidly".
Jérôme Salomon sur le coronavirus: "La France est le pays d'Europe qui compte le plus grand nombre de cas" pic.twitter.com/nneqx0lCY1
— BFMTV (@BFMTV) November 5, 2020
With 367 new deaths in hospital in 24 hours, the virus has killed 39,037 people since the beginning of the epidemic in the spring.
France introduced a second lockdown on 30 October.
Mutated version
Meanwhile, Denmark announced special restrictions for more than 280,000 people in the northwest of the country on Thursday after a mutated version of the new coronavirus linked to mink farms was found in humans.
Copenhagen warned that the mutation could threaten the effectiveness of any future vaccine.
Public transport in the region will be shut down with buses and trains stopped from entering or leaving.
Denmark, the world's largest exporter of mink fur, raised concerns on Wednesday by announcing the slaughter of all mink in the country. Up to 17 million minks in more than 1,000 farms are to be culled following the discovery of the mutation which can be passed to humans.
The mutation has already been detected in 12 people, 11 cases in the region which is being closed down, and one in another.
(With agencies)
