Key points

In week 19, virological indicators based on SI-DEP data continued to decline amid very low testing rates. Emergency department visits were down, as were new hospital admissions.

• Metropolitan France:

  • Incidence and positivity rates decreasing in most age groups and in all regions

  • Hospital admission rate declining

• Overseas France:

  • Incidence and positivity rates* highest on Réunion Island

  • Hospital admissions remain low

Variants

• Recombinant XBB.1.5 is dominant but showing a downward trend, accounting for 44% of sequences in the Week 17 Flash Survey*** (vs. 53% in Week 16)

• XBB.1.9 on the rise (36% in the Week 17 Flash Survey*** vs. 32% in Week 16)

• Sub-lineages CH.1.1 and BQ.1 detected at low levels (1% and 3% in the Week 17 Flash Survey***)

Prevention

• Vaccination as of May 15, 2023 (COVID-19 vaccine data):

  • 23.8% of people aged 60–79 and 26.7% of people aged 80 and older had received a booster dose tailored to the Omicron variant

  • 19.1% of people aged 60–79 had received a vaccine dose in the past 6 months, and 1.7% of people aged 80 and older in the past 3 months

• Given the current state of the pandemic and the spring vaccination campaign, continued adherence to preventive measures is recommended:

  • up-to-date COVID-19 vaccination, including a booster dose of bivalent vaccine (protecting against the original strain and the Omicron variant) for eligible individuals who have already received a primary series;

  • continued adherence to precautionary measures, particularly in the event of a positive test result and/or symptoms, to protect vulnerable individuals.