COVID-19 Epidemiological Update for July 21, 2022: Decline in SARS-CoV-2 transmission, indicators remain at very high levels, and the rise in the number of deaths continues

cp_pe_covid_220722.pdf

Published on 22 July 2022

Press Contacts

Santé publique France
presse@santepubliquefrance.fr

Stéphanie Champion: 01 41 79 67 48
Marie Delibéros: 01 41 79 69 61
Camille Le Hyaric: 01 41 79 68 64

Published weekly, the epidemiological update on COVID-19 surveillance provides a detailed analysis of the indicators established by Santé publique France and its network of partners to track the progression of the epidemic and inform public policy decisions.

In week 28 (July 11–17, 2022), SARS-CoV-2 circulation declined nationwide, with an effective R value below 1 and an incidence rate down by 16%, though it remained at a very high level. The incidence decreased less markedly among those aged 60–79 and remained stable among those aged 80 and older. Hospital indicators remained high, particularly among those aged 70 and older, while the number of deaths continued to rise. The incidence rate continued to rise at a high level in Guadeloupe. This indicator continued to increase in Réunion and Mayotte. Vaccination efforts must be stepped up to improve vaccination coverage, which remains insufficient, particularly in the overseas territories and among the elderly. Only 39.5% of those aged 80 and older and 45.4% of nursing home residents who were eligible had received the second booster dose.

The replacement of BA.2 by BA.5 continued. Having been the dominant variant for four weeks, BA.5 accounted for 58% (90% including sublineages) of interpretable sequences, compared to 5% (9% including sublineages) for BA.2 in the Flash S27 survey (July 4). For more information: Risk analysis related to emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants (July 6, 2022).

Given the active circulation of SARS-CoV-2 and the summer vacation period, adherence to preventive measures remains essential to limit the spread of the epidemic. In the event of symptoms, a positive test result, or exposure to a high-risk contact, it remains crucial to follow the recommended measures.

For more information: COVID-19 Epidemiological Update of July 21, 2022.

In addition, Santé publique France has published an update on the Surveillance of COVID-19 Cases Among Healthcare Professionals in Healthcare Facilities and the Update on Post-COVID-19 Conditions (also known as Long COVID).

New Format for the National Weekly Epidemiological Report

Since July 14, 2022, the National Weekly Epidemiological Report (PE-COVID-19) has been streamlined into a three-page format that provides an overview of the dynamics of the COVID-19 epidemic in France. The first page presents the key indicators for monitoring the epidemic, the second page provides an analysis of the situation, and the third page lists the indicators available on InfoCovidFrance:

Hospital Indicators

Weekly numbers of newly hospitalized COVID-19 patients and those admitted to critical care units are available in the “Key Figures” tab, under the “Primary Care / Hospital” sub-tab. These indicators are also presented as rates in the “Hospital” tab.
The weekly rates of newly hospitalized COVID-19 patients and those admitted to critical care units, by age group, are available as two separate curves in the “Hospital” tab.

Indicators for Social and Medical-Social Institutions (ESMS)

In the “Social and Medical-Social Institutions” tab, the following are available:

Vaccination coverage rates for residents and staff in nursing homes (Ehpad) or long-term care units (USLD)
The weekly number of new confirmed cases in ESMS among residents and staff
Weekly deaths among residents in ESMS

National virological data

The "Incidence and Testing" graph, adjusted for holidays, is available in the "Incidence" tab
Heatmaps showing trends in incidence rates by week and age group (age group 10 and school-age) are available in the “Incidence” tab

Regional virological data

The tables showing trends in incidence, positivity, and testing rates by region are available as curves at the regional and departmental levels in the "Incidence" tab

Variants

The graph showing the trend in the proportion of each variant during Flash surveys is available in the “Variants” tab

Vaccination coverage

The graph “Vaccination coverage by age group” is available in the “Vaccination” tab

For more information on COVID-19, surveillance systems, and vaccination, visit the Santé Publique France resource page and the Vaccination Info Service website. For more information on regional data, consult the Regional Epidemiological Reports. Find all open-access data on Géodes.

Stay informed about the COVID-19 pandemic in France and around the world

Updates, Q&As, expert interviews... everything you need to know about the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) and COVID-19 in France and around the world

Coronavirus: Circulation of SARS-CoV-2 Variants

Many variants of SARS-CoV-2 are circulating in France, and new variants carrying mutations are regularly identified. How are they monitored and classified? Learn all about the...