The peak of the ninth wave could be reached before Christmas. The third, already, in Covid times. While the contamination curve has continued to point upwards for the past three weeks, it seems that it is slowly stabilizing a few days before the holidays. According to Santé Publique France, nearly 62,641 people tested positive on Thursday, December 15. Over one week, the number of cases detected fell by 12%. And the positivity rate, calculated at 28.8% last week, is down slightly to 27.4%. The Omicron variant circulates almost exclusively in France and its BA.5 sub-lineage remains ubiquitous, with 100% detection among the sequencings.
In addition, the incidence rate (i.e. the number of cases per 100,000 inhabitants) is still rising throughout the territory, with 630 cases per 100,000 inhabitants (+ 5.2%), but less markedly in most regions. “The strongest increases were observed in Hauts-de-France, Brittany, Normandy and Pays-de-la-Loire”, indicates the public health organization in its latest epidemiological bulletin. “The highest incidence rates were observed in Provence-Alpes-Côte, Occitanie and Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes”.
Hospitalizations still on the rise
The rate of new hospitalizations continued to rise in more than half of the regions, while the flu and bronchiolitis epidemics are also testing the healthcare teams. According to the latest figures from Public Health France, 8,166 people have been hospitalized with a Covid-19 diagnosis over the last seven days, compared to 6,560 the previous week (+ 9.9%). “At the national level, emergency room visits for suspected Covid-19 were increasing (+ 17%, or +762 visits)”, indicates the institution. In total, nearly 24,100 people are currently hospitalized with a Covid-19 infection (all positive patients combined), compared to 21,098 on December 5.
Critical care admissions have also intensified over the past seven days, rising 6.7%. 684 patients were treated there, compared to 579 last week. A total of 1,374 people are in critical care for a Covid-19 infection.
Call for the necessary acceleration of vaccination campaigns
Faced with the situation, the Ministry of Health reiterated its calls for vaccination, while the campaigns launched in the fall are for the time being too little followed… Even if an improvement has been noted in recent days, for the flu or Covid vaccine reminders. “As the end-of-year holiday period begins, and the mixing of populations will be numerous, the mobilization of the actors must be maximum to create the conditions for a “burst” of vaccination, in particular for the public. most at risk of the disease”, indicated in a letter to caregivers the General Directorate of Health (DGS).
As of December 12, about 27% of people aged 80 and over with a complete primary vaccination were protected by recent vaccination or infection. A rate that rises to 39% for people aged 60 to 79, while the fall reminder has been recommended since October 3. “These rates indicate that the people most vulnerable to Covid-19 are still insufficiently protected,” points out the DGS. All French people who wish can be vaccinated as a booster against Covid, the document also recalls.