Key Points

In Week 52, there was a sharp acceleration in SARS-CoV-2 transmission linked to the rapid spread of the Omicron variant and an increase in new hospitalizations.

• Mainland France:

  • Very sharp increase in the incidence rate across all age groups

  • Highest incidence rates among those aged 20–29 (>3,600 per 100,000 inhabitants) and 30–39 (>2,900)

  • The rise in new hospitalizations is more pronounced among those under 40, particularly those aged 0–9

• Overseas territories:

  • High and rising rates of new hospitalizations in Mayotte, French Guiana, and Réunion

Variants

• 74% of screened tests showed a profile consistent with the Omicron variant in S52

• Omicron accounted for 49% of interpretable sequences in the December 20 S51 Flash survey

Prevention

• Vaccination as of January 4, 2022 (Covid Vaccine data):

  • 77.2% of the total population had received a full primary vaccination series (vs. 77.0% on 12/28)

  • 48.4% of those aged 18 and older had received a booster dose (59.4% of eligible individuals) and 72.9% of those aged 65 and older (82.4% of eligible individuals)

• Importance of combined measures: a full vaccination schedule with a booster shot after three months, adherence to preventive measures—including mask-wearing and reducing contact—and other recommended measures such as frequent ventilation of enclosed spaces, teleworking, and participation in contact tracing.

Learn more

• See our report on the COVID-19 pandemic

• Visit our page on variants

• Visit our page on contact tracing

• View all national epidemiological updates