France on Friday confirmed 20,330 new cases in the last 24 hours, according to data from the Ministry of Health.

This was the third consecutive day France had reported more than 18,000 daily new cases after Wednesday's and Thursday's totals of 18,746 and 18,129 respectively.

The number is the country's highest number of positive cases in a single day since the epidemic began. It is also significantly more than the record highest figure registered during the spring period.

France has so far reported a total of 691,977 cases and 32,630 deaths after 109 more fatalities, the highest in a week, were also recorded.

French Health Minister Olivier Veran on Thursday said the situation had deteriorated in several metropolises in recent days.

"Every day in France, more and more people are being infected, more and more are falling ill, and more and more are suffering serious effects that require hospitalisation," he said.

The French government has implemented stricter coronavirus restrictions in a number cities and the overseas territory of Guadeloupe with high infection rates. The six cities are Paris, Marseille, Lyon, Lille, Grenoble and Saint-Étienne. Local bars and cafés in those areas were closed.

The cities of Toulouse and Montpellier may be moved to maximum coronavirus alert early next week, according to Veran.

France and a host of other European countries are experiencing a second wave of coronavirus infections. On Thursday, Europe reported more than 100,000 daily coronavirus cases for the first time.

France is one of four countries which have been identified as current coronavirus hot spots on the continent. The others are the UK, Russia and Spain.

(With input from Reuters)