Are we heading for the peak of the ninth wave? According to latest data available, 48,331 people tested positive for Covid-19 on Saturday 26 November. This brings the positivity rate to 23.52%. The epidemic, which experienced a brief lull in France after a wave at the beginning of autumn, is starting up again, detailed Public Health France (SPF) on Friday, in an already tense context with the epidemic of bronchiolitis and the arrival of the flu. Last week was marked by a “resumption of circulation” of the coronavirus and an increase in hospitalizations, summarized the health agency in its weekly report. This increase in cases is mainly driven by the Omicron variant.
Increase in critical care hospitalizations
The current rebound is already reflected in an “upward recovery in new hospitalizations and admissions to critical care”, after “four weeks of decline”, underlines Public Health France. Last week, 4,679 people were hospitalized with a Covid diagnosis, an increase of 10%. Critical care admissions have increased by 15% in the past seven days.
If the total number of hospitalized patients (less than 19,000) remains well below the highest levels observed this year, this recovery risks testing an already very precarious health system. The bronchiolitis epidemic, which mainly affects babies, has been on an unprecedented scale for ten years. And that of seasonal flu, although still undeclared, promises to be earlier than usual and raises fears of a “triple epidemic”.
Recommended booster dose for people at risk
In this context, while recalling the importance of barrier gestures (such as wearing a mask in closed and very busy places), Public Health France encourages the French to update their anti-Covid vaccination. This provides, since the beginning of October, a booster dose for people at risk, in particular all those over 60 years of age.
Among 60-79 year olds, only 31.2% are considered protected by vaccination (vaccination less than 6 months old); 12% among people aged 80 and over (vaccination less than 3 months old), according to data from the health agency as of November 21. As for vaccines adapted to the Omicron variant, only 6.1% of 60-79 year olds and 7.9% of 80 year olds and over received a booster with this type of serum.