France's new COVID-19 cases hit one-month peak

FILE PHOTO: An ambulance for patient Mang Phother, 61, who spent 16 days in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) for the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), is seen in front the Clinique de l'Estree private hospital in Stains near Paris as the spread of the coronavirus disease continues in France, April 23, 2020. REUTERS/Benoit Tessier

PARIS (Reuters) - The number of new coronavirus infections in France rose by 1,392 on Wednesday, the highest daily tally in a month and a figure likely to fuel fears of a second wave of the disease despite officials downplaying such a scenario.

The increase took France's total number of confirmed cases to 185,196. In a statement, health authorities said that, leaving aside the continuous decline of people in ICU units, all COVID-19 indicators showed "an increase of the viral circulation".