PARIS (Reuters) – The Paris prosecutor’s office has opened a preliminary inquiry into the authorities’ response to the coronavirus epidemic, to determine whether any criminal offences might have been committed.

The prosecutor said in a statement the court had received 62 complaints about the handling of the crisis by public bodies, including government ministries, local authorities and nursing homes.

In France, 29,209 people have died from coronavirus infection and there are 154,188 confirmed cases.