Paris (AFP)

The Covid-19 epidemic, driven by the more contagious Delta variant, continued to progress in France but overall a little slower than in the past weeks, Public Health France said on Friday.

"The epidemic is increasing less quickly but it is still increasing," said epidemiologist Christine Cambese, during the weekly update of the health agency.

This mixed report describes a slight improvement on the contamination front, with a "dynamic of slowing down of the incidence rate" (except in the West Indies) but which has not yet been reflected on the hospitalization front.

Last week (from August 3 to 10), the incidence rate was established nationally at 236 per 100,000 inhabitants, an increase (+ 4%) more moderate than in previous weeks.

The highest rate still concerns 20-29 year olds (505) and the increase was observed more particularly among 40 year olds, a sign that the spread of the Sars-CoV2 virus "goes from the youngest to the oldest", according to Christine Cambese .

Public Health France says it is "vigilant" regarding the surveillance of Covid in children, which the Delta variant could more affect since they are not vaccinated.

Among those under 5, an increase in emergency room consultations for Covid was noted, but "globally at the same levels" as the previous waves, and without an increase in hospitalizations in critical care.

Members of the Red Cross meet holidaymakers as part of the vaccination campaign against covid-19, Friday August 13, 2021 in Argelès-sur-mer (Pyrénées-Orientales) RAYMOND ROIG AFP

The global slowdown remains geographically very heterogeneous, insists SpF, with a worrying situation in the French Antilles, especially in Guadeloupe which is recording record incidence rates (1,893 cases per 100,000 inhabitants).

The agency also warns of a "signal of an epidemic resumption" in French Guyana.

At the national level, the impact of contamination on hospitalizations remains significant, with in particular a 46% increase in critical care admissions.

"If we continue to see the incidence decrease, automatically hospitalizations will decrease", as in previous waves of the epidemic, underlined epidemiologist Daniel Lévy-Bruhl.

"We are heading towards a plateau, it's clear, but it is not possible at this stage to predict when. It all depends on what will happen in the coming days on the continuation of the vaccination and the respect of the barrier gestures. ", commented the epidemiologist.

The health measures and "the efforts of the population are bearing fruit, they must be continued to avoid a major wave. It is within our reach," he concluded.

© 2021 AFP