Nearly a quarter of a million French citizens have been fined for ignoring the government’s strict coronavirus lockdown rules.
French authorities said on Thursday that 365 people had been killed by the novel coronavirus within 24 hours, taking the hospital death toll to 1,696.
Nearly a quarter of a million French people have also been fined for flouting the government’s strict instructions to stay at home amid the worsening coronavirus pandemic, according to Interior Minister Christophe Castaner.
“Police have fined more than 225,000 people for non-respect of the confinement measures,” Mr Castaner said.
He added: “The lockdown should remain in place until we have won the battle against the virus.”
Restaurants, bars, shops, beauty salons and schools have been shut nationwide and people ordered to stay at home other than to buy food, medicines, travel to work, exercise or for urgent medical care.
