Key Points

In Week 26, SARS-CoV-2 transmission intensified in mainland France, with new hospitalizations and deaths rising sharply, affecting primarily older adults who were not sufficiently vaccinated.

• Mainland France:

  • Incidence rates continue to rise in all regions and exceed 1% (1,000 per 100,000) in most of them

  • Number of new hospitalizations, ICU admissions, and deaths on the rise

  Overseas territories:

  • Virological indicators are declining in Martinique but remain at very high levels

  • A marked increase in the incidence rate continues in Guadeloupe and Réunion

Variants

• Continued increase in the proportion of the Omicron BA.5 sublineage, which is now dominant, according to the Flash S25 survey (June 20)

Reinfections

• Increase in the proportion of reinfections since December 2021, reaching 12% in S23-2022

Prevention

• Vaccination as of July 4, 2022 (Covid Vaccine data):

  • Vaccination coverage for the booster dose remains stable at 74.8% among those aged 18 and older and at 84.7% among those aged 65 and older

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

• Given school breaks and activities that may increase virus transmission, adherence to combined measures remains essential to protect the most vulnerable populations, and it is crucial:

  • to self-isolate if you have symptoms or test positive for COVID-19

  • to individually practice preventive measures, including wearing a mask (in the presence of vulnerable people, in crowded indoor spaces—particularly on public transportation—or during large gatherings), handwashing, and frequently ventilating enclosed spaces

Learn more

• See our special report on the COVID-19 pandemic

• Visit our page on variants

• View all national epidemiological updates