Paris is in danger of going back into lockdown next week after the French government said the coronavirus pandemic was worsening in the capital.

"Since yesterday, in the last 24 hours, Paris has passed the threshold that would put it in the maximum alert category," French minister of Health Olivier Véran said Thursday evening.

France's "maximum alert" threshold is reached when the incidence rate reaches 250 per 100,000 people, at least 30% of intensive care beds are occupied by coronavirus patients, and the rate among the elderly passes 100 per 100,000.

The Paris region had already fulfilled the last two criteria.

Speaking from Bichat-Claude Bernard hospital in the city, Véran said that if the "evolution" was confirmed in the coming days, "we will not have any choice but to place Paris and its closest suburbs in maximum alert category as soon as Monday."

"We will re-examine indicators on Sunday, with the Paris mayor and elected officials," he added.

Aurelien Rousseau, head of the Paris region health authority, told radio station France Inter on Wednesday that 34% of intensive care beds were occupied by Covid-19 patients in the region and the incidence rate for people over 65 was more than 100 per 100,000 inhabitants.

He said the rate was also very high for people between the ages of 20 and 30, at 450 cases per 100,000 people.