Key points
In week 10, incidence and positivity rates increased but remained at low levels. Indicators for emergency department visits and hospital admissions were again on the rise.
- Metropolitan France:
- Incidence and positivity rates rising in all age groups and in all regions
- Hospital admission rates increasing moderately in Nouvelle-Aquitaine, Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, Centre-Val de Loire and Hauts-de-France
- Overseas France:
- Incidence and hospital admission rates remain very low
Variants
- The recombinant XBB was in majority with 57% of sequences in the week 8 Flash Survey (vs 45% in week 7), carried by 48% XBB.1.5 (vs 36%)
- BA.5 and its sub-lineages continued to decrease (33% in the week 8 Flash Survey vs 45% in week 7)
- All Omicron sub-lineages currently identified present similar characteristics
Prevention
- Vaccination on 13 March 2023 (Vaccin Covid data):
- 23.1% of 60-79 year-olds had received a booster dose adapted to the Omicron variant (26.7% among those eligible); in the 80+ age group, 25.8% had received this booster dose (29.4% among those eligible)
- 25.9% of 60-79 year-olds had received a dose of vaccine in the last 6 months and 11.7% of 80+ year-olds in the last 3 months
- Given the current situation regarding respiratory viruses in circulation, continued compliance with preventive measures remains 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 already vaccinated with a primary series, and flu vaccination;
- continued application of precautionary measures, particularly in case of a positive test and/or symptoms.
