Key Points

In Week 18, the positivity rate (based on SI-DEP virological data) continued to decline amid very low testing rates. Visits to emergency rooms were down, as were new hospitalizations.

• Mainland France:

  • Incidence rates* stable or declining across all age groups and regions

  • Positivity rate stable or declining in most age groups and regions

  • Rate of new hospitalizations decreasing

• Overseas territories:

  • Low incidence rates*, except in Réunion

  • New hospitalizations are decreasing and at a very low level

Variants

• The XBB.1.5 recombinant remained the dominant variant, accounting for 52% of sequences in the Flash S16 survey (vs. 53% in Flash S15)

• XBB.1.9 appeared to be stabilizing (30% for Flash S16 vs. 29% for Flash S15)

• The CH.1.1 and BQ.1 sublineages were at low levels (2% for Flash S16)

Prevention

• Vaccination as of May 9, 2023 (Covid Vaccine data):

  • 23.8% of those aged 60–79 and 26.6% of those aged 80 and older had received a booster tailored to the Omicron variant

  • 20.0% of those aged 60–79 and 2.0% of those aged 80 and older had received a dose administered less than 6 and 3 months ago, respectively.

• Given the ongoing circulation of SARS-CoV-2 and the spring vaccination campaign, it remains recommended to continue adhering to the following combined measures:

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

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

*A correction has been applied to the incidence and testing rates for the week including the May 1 holiday to account for its impact on testing activity.

Learn more

• See our report on the COVID-19 pandemic

• Go directly to the graphs and tables of indicators on InfoCovidFrance

• Visit our page on variants

• View all national epidemiological updates