PARIS: French health authorities reported 22,086 new coronavirus infections over the previous 24 hours on Tuesday, up sharply from Monday's 4,240 and close to last Tuesday's level of 23,608, adding to fears of a third national lockdown.

The number of people being treated in intensive care units (ICUs) for COVID-19 was also up, at 3,081, staying above the key 3,000 threshold for the second day running.

A drop below 3,000 led the government to relax the second lockdown on Dec. 15.

France's cumulative total of cases now stands at 3,079,943, the sixth-highest in the world.

Its COVID-19 death toll rose by 612 to 74,106, the world's seventh-highest, after an increase of 445 on Monday.

The seven-day moving average of new fatalities, which averages out daily data-reporting irregularities, is 395.