Key points
In week 8, virological indicators increased slightly again, but remained at low levels. Indicators for emergency department visits were stable. Hospital admissions continued to decrease.
- Metropolitan France:
- Incidence rate stable or slightly up in most age groups
- Slight increase in positivity rate
- Incidence and positivity rates stable or slightly up in most regions
- Hospital admission rate down in majority of regions
- Overseas France:
- Incidence and positivity rates down slightly in Reunion Island
- Hospital admission rate decreasing or stable at a very low level
Variants
- BA.5 remained in majority but decreased further (55% of sequences in week 6 Flash Survey), as did its sublineage
- BQ.1.1 (43% in week 6 Flash Survey vs 49% in week 5)
- Increase in recombinant XBB to 34% (vs 26% in week 5 Flash Survey), with 26% of XBB.1.5 (vs 20%)
Prevention
- Vaccination on 27 February 2023 (Vaccin Covid data):
- 22.8% of 60-79 year-olds had received a booster dose adapted to the Omicron variant (26.8% among those eligible); in the 80+ age group, 25.5% had received this booster dose (29.1% among those eligible)
- 26.8% of 60-79 year-olds and 16.1% of 80+ year-olds had received a dose of vaccine in the last 6 or 3 months, respectively
- Given that SARS-CoV-2 and winter viruses are still in active 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.
New day of publication for the COVID-19 Epidemiological Update
Given the positive evolution of the COVID-19 epidemic (low virological indicators and near-exclusive circulation of the Omicron variant for the past year), with recommendations now similar to those for other acute respiratory infections, Santé publique France is adapting its surveillance of the COVID-19 epidemic in France, particularly in terms of the information produced and distributed. From next week, the Epidemiological Update presenting the situation of COVID-19 in France will therefore be published every Thursday (instead of Friday at present).
Surveillance of COVID-19 variants will continue throughout the country.
This development is part of a process to standardise COVID-19 surveillance for gradual integration into routine epidemic monitoring. This integrated surveillance strategy for acute respiratory infections takes a global approach to acute respiratory diseases, primarily COVID-19, influenza and bronchiolitis. It will be fully deployed at the beginning of the 2023-2024 season and specific details will be provided prior to implementation.
