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PARIS, April 5-- With the total coronavirus fatalities swelling to 8,078 while the number of critically-ill patients increasing less rapidly, French authorities on Sunday warned that the virus "continues to hit hard," urging people to continue to respect the confinement. The number of patients who died in the country's hospitals rose by 357 to 5,889. The one-day increase was less than 441 registered on Saturday and the record of 588 on Friday, according to the Health Ministry. In addition, the counting by elderly nursing homes across the country found that there were 2,189 deaths since March 1, the ministry said in a press release. A total of 70,478 people have been tested positive for coronavirus since the start of the epidemic. The number of "confirmed or possible" cases in nursing homes rose to 22,361. Some 28,891 people are hospitalized, among them 6,978 need life support in intensive care units (ICU), up by 140, a smaller increase compared with 176 recorded a day before. The ministry noted that the infection was spreading at slower pace and the number of critically-ill patients was increasing less rapidly, which it called a key indicator to evaluate how hospitals are using the available human and logistic resources. A slowdown in the number of patients in intensive care units meant less pressure on hospitals and that drastic curb on people movement to halt the virus spread begins bearing fruit. | 
