France
has reported a record daily increase in coronavirus cases as the
country struggles to contain a fresh surge in infections.
On Saturday health authorities said there were 10,561 new cases, rising by more than 1,000 from Friday's figures.
The numbers of people admitted to hospital and intensive care are also increasing.
A group of doctors have urged people to avoid private gatherings amid the fresh outbreak.
"After
the joy of reuniting this summer, it's time to be careful in the
private world," the doctors said in a column published in Le Journal du
Dimanche on Sunday.
"The smaller a room, the more people it contains, the less airy it is, the more you increase the risks."
Infection
rates have risen for all age groups since June, but officials say the
increase is particularly significant among young adults.
France is one of several European countries to see a surge in new cases.
As
authorities across the continent eased stringent lockdowns imposed in
March to tackle the outbreak, new cases began to creep up in June and
jumped significantly in the last month.
What's the latest in France?
Saturday's
figures reported 2,432 people sent to hospital, 75 more than on Friday.
Of these, 417 were sent to intensive care, an increase of 28.
An
additional 17 people died of the virus. France has recorded more than
30,000 deaths since the pandemic began, the seventh highest total
worldwide.
Officials
have now designated 42 regions as "red zones", where virus circulation
is active and where stricter mask requirements and gathering
restrictions are in force.
This includes Paris, Lyon, and almost the entire Mediterranean coastline.
Prime
Minister Jean Castex - who recently tested negative after possible
exposure to the virus - has asked local authorities in Bordeaux,
Marseille and the island of Guadeloupe to suggest "a set of new
additional measures" on Monday to contain the spread.
Tour de France organisers meanwhile have banned spectators from starts and finishes of stages passing through the red zones.
