Confirmed coronavirus cases in France double to 38

The number of confirmed coronavirus infections in France has leapt from 18 to 38 since Wednesday night, Health Minister Olivier Veran said.

Twelve cases in total are linked to a victim from northern France who died on Tuesday night, Veran said. Three of them were on a military base.

"This evening, we therefore remain at the phase of intervention which consists of braking, slowing down, retarding, limiting the spread of the virus on French territory," he said late Thursday.