Paris, April 7 (RHC)-- The death toll in France from COVID-19 has now exceeded 10,000, with 607 patients dying in hospitals in the last 24 hours, according to the country’s director general of health.

Confirming the latest coronavirus figures on Tuesday, Jérôme Salomon said that a total of 7,091 people have died in French hospitals since March 1, with over 80 percent of them being 70 years of age or older.  Another 820 deaths were recorded in the last 24 hours in nursing homes and other medical establishments.

The 1,427 new deaths recorded by France marks a grim daily record for the country.  Overall, 7,091 fatalities have been recorded in hospitals and a further 3,237 in nursing homes, meaning a total of 10,328 deaths since the start of the outbreak in France.

Although the country is already under strict lockdown orders, further precautions have been taken.  The city of Paris on Tuesday banned outdoor exercise between 10 a.m. and 7 p.m, with the ban coming into effect on Wednesday.  Mayor Anne Hidalgo said the restriction will ensure people only go outdoors for exercise "when the streets are generally at their quietest."

Residents leaving their homes are already required to carry documentation explaining their essential reason for going out, such as shopping for necessities, or visiting a doctor.  Thousands of people in France have already been fined for breaking the lockdown restrictions.