PARIS, Sept 17 (Reuters) - Gatherings of family are a major source of COVID-19 infections, French Health Minister Olivier Veran said on Thursday, adding the spread of the disease had accelerated in the last weeks.

"If everyone reduced his number of social contacts, this would help reduce the spread of the virus", he said during a press conference.

Five people out of 100 tested for COVID-19 are today positive, versus one in a 100 at start of summer, Veran also said.

France's COVID-19 situation is "worrying", with daily new cases at record levels, but a second wave of infections is "avoidable", said health minister Olivier Veran.

"The reproduction rate of the virus stands at 1.2 which is less than the 3.2-3.4 level seen during the spring. So the virus is spreading at lesser speed but it is circulating, which is worrying", Veran told France Inter radio.