Key points

In week 26, the spread of SARS-CoV-2 intensified in metropolitan France, with new hospital admissions and deaths rising sharply, affecting mostly the elderly who were not sufficiently vaccinated.

• Metropolitan France:

  • The incidence rate continued to rise in all regions and remained above 1% (1,000 per 100,000) in most regions.

  • The number of new hospital admissions, intensive care admissions, and deaths all increased.

• Overseas France:

  • Virological indicators fell in Martinique but remained at very high levels

  • Sharp rise in the incidence rate, continuing in Guadeloupe and Réunion

Variants

• Continued increase in the proportion of the BA.5 Omicron sublineage, which is predominant, in the Week 25 Flash Survey (June 20)

Repeat infections

• Increase in the proportion of repeat infections since December 2021, reaching 12% in week 23 of 2022

Prevention

• Vaccination as of July 4, 2022 (COVID-19 vaccine data):

  • Vaccination coverage for the booster shot remained stable at 74.8% among the population aged 18 and older and 84.7% in the 65 and older age group.

  • Only 26.5% of people aged 60–79 and 33.7% of those aged 80 and older eligible for the second booster shot have actually received it.

• With school holidays underway and activities likely to lead to an increase in virus transmission, adherence to combined measures remains essential to protect the most vulnerable populations, and it remains vital to:

  • self-isolate if symptoms develop or a COVID-19 test comes back positive

  • take individual precautions against infection, including wearing a mask (especially in enclosed spaces, particularly on public transportation, at large gatherings, or around vulnerable people), washing hands, and frequently ventilating enclosed spaces