MEASURES EXTENDED UNTIL MAY 11

PARIS French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday announced he was extending a virtual lockdown to curb the coronavirus outbreak until May 11, adding that progress had been made but the battle not yet won.

Acknowledging his country had not been sufficiently prepared early on to face the challenges posed by the outbreak, Macron said the unprecedented restrictions put in place were showing results.

“The epidemic is starting to slow down. The results are there,” Macron said in a televised address to the nation.

His address came as France ended a fourth week under lockdown.

By Monday, the coronavirus had claimed 14,967 lives in France, the fourth-highest death toll in the world, with more than 98,076 confirmed cases, according to official government figures.