Paris, Oct 18 (IANS): France has registered a new record for the highest number of single-day Covid-19 cases, with a total of 32,427 people testing positive for the virus in a span of 24 hours, health authorities said.

According to the country's Public Health Agency, the previous daily record, at 30,621 cases, was set on Thursday, reports Xinhua news agency.

With Saturday's figure, the overall caseload has increased to 867,197, while the death toll reached 33,39.

Presently, 1,722 clusters, including 357 in nursing homes, are under investigation.

This represents 145 additional outbreaks in 24 hours.

Over the last seven days, 7,198 new hospitalizations have been identified, including 1,269 in intensive care, according to the official data.

"The transmission among the elderly is maintained at high levels and suggests a further increase in hospitalizations and deaths in the weeks to come," said the agency.

In the absence of curative treatment and vaccine, it is essential to strengthen preventive actions including hygiene measures, physical distance, reduction of contacts, appropriate wearing of masks, limitation of gatherings as well as ventilation of confined spaces, it added.

To stem the quick spread of the virus, the French government declared a state of health emergency that started on Saturday.

Curfews from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. were implemented in the country's nine major cities, including capital Paris, since Friday midnight.