PARIS 

France registered 102,144 coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours, the country's public health agency said Monday. 

The latest cases pushed the nation's total number of infections to over 14.27 million, the agency said.

Another 298 people died from COVID-19, taking the country's death toll to 127,263.

The proportion of PCR tests producing positive results rose to 22.8%.

A total of 25,776 people are being treated in hospitals, 3,913 of whom are in intensive care units (ICUs).

Genevieve Chene, the director general of Public Health France, said in a statement that it was too early to say that the epidemic is over.

Noting that an increase in the number of virus-related cases is continuing, Chene said caution should be maintained and that the number of people receiving treatment in hospitals may increase further.

She added that it is necessary to wait for the coming days to be able to assess the course of the outbreak.

Meanwhile, in the capital Paris, the use of masks in public areas has become mandatory again.

Wearing a mask has become mandatory in places like markets, where more than 10 people gather, on public transport and in schools, universities, places of worship and shopping centers, the Paris police said, based on the instructions of the French government.

On Jan. 13, the Administrative Court of Paris suspended an order which made it mandatory to wear masks in open areas in the capital.

*Writing by Merve Berker