INTERNATIONAL: France had its worst-ever day in terms of new COVID-19 cases on Thursday, with more than 91,000 new cases being recorded while the number of deaths also climbed, as the country battles against a fifth wave of the virus.

France Health Minister Olivier Veran announces that the case number would stand at around 88,000 for Thursday, but the final official tally from the health ministry has showed 91,608 new cases.

The French Health Minister Olivier Veran has claimed the figures are not good, they are even the worst-case figures reported since the pandemic began.

Veran had already warned earlier this week that France would soon be at 100,000 new COVID-19 cases per day.

Data from the health ministry also showed that France registered a further 179 COVID-19 deaths in hospitals over the last 24 hours, while the number of COVID-19 patients in intensive care units have reached 3,208, up by 61 from the previous day.

President Emmanuel Macron is hoping France's COVID-19 vaccine booster campaign will help to contain the fifth wave of the coronavirus to hit the country.

He is aiming to avoid imposing tough, new restrictions, although the French government has said all options will be considered to tackle any rapid deterioration in France's COVID-19 situation.

^{PHOTO: SOUNDBITES FROM FRENCH HEALTH MINISTER OLIVIER VERAN ON COVID-19 FIGURES / VERAN VISITING VACCINATION CENTRE / CROWDS AT DEPARTMENT STORE WINDOW DISPLAYS AND AT CHRISTMAS FAIR}