Key Points

In Week 17, 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 declining

  • Positivity rate declining in most age groups and regions

  • Declining rate of new hospitalizations

• Overseas territories:

  • Incidence rates at very low levels except in Réunion

  • New hospitalizations remain at very low levels

Variants

• The XBB.1.5 recombinant remained the dominant variant, accounting for 52% of sequences in the Flash S15 survey (vs. 57% in Flash S14)

• XBB.1.9 continued to increase (30% for Flash 15 vs. 24% for Flash 14)

• The BQ.1 sublineage stabilized (4% for Flash S15 and S14)

Prevention

• Vaccination as of May 2, 2023 (Covid Vaccine data):

  • 23.7% of those aged 60–79 and 26.5% of those aged 80 and older had received a booster tailored to the Omicron variant;

  • 20.8% of those aged 60–79 and 2.4% 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 result and/or symptoms, to protect vulnerable individuals.

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