The ebb of the seventh wave of the Covid-19 epidemic continues in France, with the beginning of a drop in hospital admissions, but hospitalizations are still at a high level, according to the weekly report from Public Health France.
"The decrease in the circulation of SARS-CoV-2 was confirmed on national territory" in the week of July 18 to 24, but the indicators remain "however at high levels in all regions and age groups" , observes the health agency.
Differences between territories
At the hospital, “a drop in new hospitalizations has begun” (-4%), but the new entries of Covid-19 patients (8,876) and new admissions to critical care (823) still remain at “levels high”, according to its epidemiological report.
And there are “marked” differences between territories, with certain metropolitan regions, in particular Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, New Aquitaine and Corsica, still experiencing an increase in critical care admissions.
Deaths continued to increase, with 641 in hospital or in a medico-social establishment (+1% over one week).
Omicron sub-variants
The current wave is carried by sub-variants of Omicron, in particular BA.5, now by far the majority.
To date, three cases of a new closely watched Omicron family member, BA.2.75, have been detected in France.
Vaccination coverage "remains insufficient", especially among the elderly, reaffirmed Public Health France, calling for increased effort.
Only 31.2% of people aged 60-79, 41.8% of people aged 80 and over and 46.9% of eligible nursing home residents had received their second booster dose by July 25.
In a summer season of holidays and activities conducive to an increase in the transmission of the virus, the health agency also recalled the need for isolation in the event of infection and respect for barrier gestures.
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Variant Omicron