PARIS (REUTERS, AFP) - French health authorities reported three new coronavirus deaths on Sunday (March 8), taking the country's death toll from the outbreak to 19, as the number of reported infections also rose.

The total number of confirmed cases came to 1,126 as of 1400 GMT on Sunday, public health officials said.

That represents an increase of 177 cases on the tally reported late on Saturday, which had risen by 336 over the previous 24 hours.

France on Sunday also banned all gatherings of more than 1,000 people in an attempt to slow the spread of the coronavirus, Health Minister Olivier Veran said.

"All gatherings of more than 1,000 people are from now on banned," he said, adding that officials would issue a list of events considered "useful to national life" that would be allowed to continue such as demonstrations.