In Week 07 (February 14–20), the epidemiological situation improved nationwide and across all age groups in terms of SARS-CoV-2 transmission and its impact on the healthcare system. Indeed, the effective reproduction number (Rt) had remained below 1 for three consecutive weeks, and the decline in incidence and positivity rates continued, with the national incidence rate falling below the threshold of 1,000 cases per 100,000 inhabitants. Hospital admissions were declining, as were admissions to critical care units. The number of COVID-19-related deaths remained high in week 07 but had been decreasing since week 06. The BA.2 sublineage of the Omicron variant continued to spread, without impacting the current favorable trend. As of February 22, 82.6% of those aged 65 and older and 74.3% of those aged 80 and older had received a booster shot. In this context, it appears necessary to integrate preventive measures into daily life as part of a comprehensive prevention strategy (wearing masks, handwashing, ventilation) in order to protect the most vulnerable individuals in particular. Adherence to other recommended preventive measures—particularly in cases of symptoms, a positive test result, or exposure to a confirmed case—as well as participation in contact tracing, remains essential to maintaining the current favorable trend.

Continued decline in the incidence rate and positivity rate across all age groups

Nationally, the incidence rate continued to decline, falling below the threshold of 1,000 cases per 100,000 inhabitants (833, -39%). This decline was observed across all age groups. Fewer than 80,000 cases were reported on average each day. The testing rate and positivity rate continued to decline across all age groups.

In mainland France, trends were similar across all regions. Only three regions still had an incidence rate above 1,000 per 100,000 inhabitants: Grand Est, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, and Occitanie. In the overseas territories, the incidence rate was decreasing across all regions. It remained highest in Réunion and Martinique.

The decline in new hospitalizations and critical care admissions continues

Nationally, the decline in the number of new hospitalizations (-29%) and admissions to intensive care (-30%) continued. As of February 22, the number of patients hospitalized in intensive care was below the 3,000 threshold. The number of deaths was decreasing in hospitals and long-term care facilities (-24%). A decline in excess mortality from all causes appeared to be beginning in week 06. In metropolitan France, weekly rates of new hospitalizations and new admissions to intensive care were declining in all regions except Corsica, where both rates remained stable. In the overseas territories, rates of new hospitalizations and new admissions to critical care were decreasing but remained high in Réunion.

• Update on Reports of Nosocomial SARS-CoV-2 Infections

Omicron accounts for 99.5% of interpretable sequences, and the BA.2 sublineage is on the rise

In week 07, the dominance of Omicron in mainland France observed in screening data was confirmed by sequencing data from the Flash S06 survey (02/07), where it accounted for 99.5% of interpretable sequences, compared to 99.4% in the Flash S05 survey (01/31). The Delta VOC accounted for only 0.5% of interpretable sequences in the Flash S06 survey. The B.1.640 variant has not been detected since Flash S02, but cases were identified outside of Flash surveys through week 06. Preliminary data from the Flash S07 survey (02/14) show the same trends of increasing Omicron relative to Delta. To date, the Omicron VOC includes, within the parent lineage B.1.1.529, three sublineages: BA.1 (and its sublineage BA.1.1), BA.2, and BA.3. The Omicron sequences identified in France belong overwhelmingly to the BA.1 sublineage: 83% of the 2,403 Omicron sequences in the Flash S06 survey corresponded to BA.1, of which 51% belonged to its BA.1.1 sublineage. The proportion of the BA.2 sublineage has been increasing nationwide since early January: it accounted for 4.8% of Omicron sequences in Flash S04 (January 24), 9.5% in Flash S05, 16% in Flash S06, and 27% in Flash S07. The rise of BA.2 at the expense of BA.1 is observed in all regions of metropolitan France, but at varying levels depending on the region.

More than 57% of the general population has received a booster dose

As of February 22, 2022, the estimated vaccination coverage in the general population based on Vaccin Covid was 79.2% for a complete primary vaccination series and 57.4% for the booster dose. Among those aged 18 and older, 71.9% had received a booster dose, and 82.1% of those eligible for the booster as of that date had actually received it. Among those aged 65 and older, 82.6% had received a booster dose, and 90.9% of those eligible for it as of that date had received it. In addition, 9.0% of children aged 10 to 11 had received a first dose of the vaccine (3.0% for those aged 5 to 9). Due in particular to efforts by the National Health Insurance Fund to remove records from the Covid Vaccine database, decreases in vaccination coverage can be observed.

Furthermore, Santé publique France has updated its surveillance of COVID-19 cases among healthcare workers in healthcare facilities, its report on contact tracing activities, and its report on the surveillance of cases of pediatric multisystem inflammatory syndrome.