Key points

In week 5, virological indicators were at a low level and continued to decline. Hospital admissions were decreasing in most regions, and the number of deaths continued to decline.

• Metropolitan France:

  • Incidence and testing rates falling across all age groups and in all regions

  • Less marked decrease in the incidence rate among people aged 70 and older, with the positivity rate stabilizing in this age group

  • Hospital admission rate falling in most regions

  • Number of deaths declining

• Overseas France:

  • Incidence and positivity rates are decreasing in all regions, except in French Guiana, which showed a slight increase from a low level

  • Hospital admission rate at a very low level

Variants

• BA.5 is the dominant variant but is decreasing (78% of sequences in the Week 3 Flash Survey); its sublineage BQ.1.1 accounted for 59% (vs. 72% in the Week 2 Flash Survey)

• Recombinant XBB increased to 9% (vs. 3% in the Week 2 Flash Survey), with 7% of XBB.1.5 (vs. 2%)

• All currently identified Omicron sublineages exhibit similar characteristics

Prevention

• Vaccination as of February 6, 2023 (Covid Vaccine data):

  • 21.8% of people aged 60–79 had received a booster dose tailored to the Omicron variant (26.6% of those eligible);

  • 24.5% of people aged 80 and older had also received this booster dose (28.1% of those eligible);

  • 27.7% of people aged 60–79 and 19.9% of people aged 80 and older had received their most recent vaccine dose in the past 6 or 3 months, respectively.

• Given that SARS-CoV-2 and winter viruses remain in active circulation, continued adherence to preventive measures is still 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, and flu vaccination;

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