The suspension of the transmission of COVID-19 test results to the SI-DEP database from October 27 to November 3, as well as the suspension of operations by some private clinical laboratories between November 14 and 17 and December 1 and 2, disrupted the production of virological indicators by Santé publique France.
Consequently, the analysis of virological indicators from SI-DEP produced starting October 28 relies on antigen tests (TAG), primarily conducted by pharmacies, as well as on RT-PCR tests from laboratories that continued to report results.

Viral circulation continues to rise

In week 48 (November 28 to December 4), despite strike action by some private clinical laboratories, the majority of virological indicators, as well as those regarding healthcare utilization, remained consistent and showed that the epidemic was still progressing. Incidence rates derived from antigen tests and from all tests combined continued to rise.
Healthcare utilization for suspected COVID-19 continued to rise, with 3,257 visits to SOS Médecins (+18%) and 4,485 emergency room visits (+29%) recorded. This increase affected all age groups except children under 4 years of age in the SOS Médecins network.

Hospital indicators rise for the third consecutive week

In week 48, hospital indicators were on the rise (unconsolidated data), with 6,102 new hospitalizations recorded (i.e., +7% vs. +13% in week 47), including 544 (+6% vs. +6% in week 47) in critical care. As for the number of deaths in hospitals and long-term care facilities, an increase was observed after several weeks of decline (421, or +9%, unconsolidated data).

Omicron is circulating almost exclusively in France, and its BA.5 sublineage remains ubiquitous

In mainland France, BA.5 (all sublineages combined) accounted for 95% of interpretable sequences in the Flash S47 survey. Among these sublineages, detection of the BQ.1.1 sublineage (including its sublineages) continued to rise at a steady pace, accounting for 58% of interpretable sequences during the Flash S47 survey (vs. 54% for Flash S46). The BA.4 sublineage (including all sublineages) continued to circulate, but at low levels, accounting for 1% of interpretable sequences during Flash S47 (vs. 2% in S46). Additional information is available in the risk analysis dated November 16, 2022.

A boost in vaccination is needed to protect the most vulnerable and preserve the healthcare system.

As of December 5, only 8.8% of those aged 60–79 and 11.2% of those aged 80 and older had received a booster tailored to the Omicron variant (9.7% and 12.8% respectively among eligible individuals)^*. Additionally, 82.8% of those aged 65 and older had received at least one booster dose.

Among those aged 60–79, 32.1% are considered protected by vaccination if they have received a recent dose within the last 6 months, as are 14.4% of those aged 80 and older who have received a dose within the last 3 months (all vaccines combined). These proportions do not account for SARS-CoV-2 infections that may have occurred during this period.

In this context, it is essential to keep up to date with COVID-19 vaccination, particularly by receiving a booster dose with a bivalent vaccine (against the original strain and the Omicron variant) for eligible individuals who have received their initial vaccination (starting 3 or 6 months after the last dose, depending on current recommendations).

Furthermore, given the sharp increase in influenza surveillance indicators across the country, it is strongly recommended that individuals at risk of developing severe influenza get vaccinated against seasonal influenza as soon as possible. Influenza and COVID-19 vaccinations can be administered during the same visit.

In addition, Santé publique France has released an update on surveillance data regarding COVID-19 cases among healthcare workers in healthcare facilities.

For more information on COVID-19, surveillance systems, and vaccination, visit the Santé publique France resource page and the Vaccination Info Service website. For more information on regional data, see the regional epidemiological reports. Find all the data freely available on Géodes.