Europe Coronavirus Updates: UK COVID-19 deaths top 28,000, France extends state of health emergency

PARIS -- The French government has decided to extend the state of health emergency until July 24 to fight against the coronavirus pandemic, Minister of Health Olivier Veran announced on Saturday.

The state of health emergency, installed since March 24, is to be extended because lifting it, as previously scheduled on May 23, "would be premature" as the risks of an epidemic resurgence are present, the minister told a press conference.

A bill on the extension of the state of health emergency will be debated next week in the Senate before being sent to the National Assembly, said government spokesperson Sibeth Ndiaye at the press conference.