France reports its worst day of coronvirus deaths so far

French health authorities announced Monday that the country had experienced its worst daily death toll yet from the coronavirus.

The BBC reported that Health Minister Olivier Véran said that the new death toll, 833 over a 24-hour period, did not yet represent the peak of the virus’s spread in France.

“We have not reached the end of the end of the ascent of this epidemic,” Véran said.

He warned French citizens to stay at home as officials attempt to control the virus’s spread, but predicted a long road ahead.

“It is not over. Far from that. The path is long. The figures that I have announced show this,” Véran said. “Stay at home and continue this confinement effort.”

More than 74,000 cases of coronavirus have been confirmed in the country, will over 8,900 deaths recorded. European countries have been hit hard by the virus in recent weeks, with U.K. authorities announcing that Prime Minister Boris Johnson would be hospitalized Sunday and later transferred to the intensive care unit on Monday due to worsening coronavirus symptoms.

In nearby Spain, 136,000 cases of the virus have been confirmed, while in Italy, 132,000 cases have been confirmed and health officials in some regions have warned that the numbers could be higher due to victims dying before receiving testing or being hospitalized.