Incidence rate, number of new cases, of people hospitalized… The figures for Covid-19 are exploding in France. Several factors, in particular the presence of the BA.4 and BA.5 variants, are believed to be the cause of this resumption of the epidemic.
- The Minister of Health, Brigitte Bourguignon, encourages those over 60 to receive their fourth dose of the vaccine against Covid-19.
- For the moment, there would be only a quarter of the people concerned by the fourth dose who would be vaccinated.
79,262 new confirmed cases of Covid-19 over the last seven days in France… An increase of 56.6% over one week according to the latest figures published by Public health France. There is therefore a resumption of the epidemic, because this number of daily cases was lower a few weeks ago, around 20,000. The incidence rate is also up, at 565.67, an increase of more than 41% in seven days.
Increase in people hospitalized and in critical care
One of the most worrying indicators is the number of people hospitalized and those admitted to intensive care units. For the former, there are around 700 every day – a figure up by more than 37% over the last week – while there are 67 new daily entries in critical care, an increase of more than 19% on the last seven days.
Why such a resurgence of the epidemic?
Several factors can explain the resurgence of Covid-19 in France. According Public health France, 100% of sequenced viruses are Omicron. More specifically, these are the BA.4 and BA.5 variants, which are very present in the territory. the weekly update of this body dated June 23 indicates a “gradual replacement of BA.2 by BA.5 whose detection is on the rise (41%)”.
Stronger, longer-lasting symptoms
Regarding the symptoms of the variants BA.4 and BA.5, doctors note differences with those of Covid-19 and previous variants. Indeed, those affected suffer, for example, from nausea, digestive pain and vomiting. “Un new symptom seems to affect patients, explains Gilles Pialoux, head of the infectious and tropical diseases department at the Tenon hospital in Paris at Figaro. They often have a sore throat and difficulty swallowing”. He also states that “symptoms last longer and are stronger”.
Apply barrier gestures and sometimes the mask
Another factor that may explain the resumption of the epidemic: a relaxation of many French people on barrier gestures. A trend encouraged by the end of health measures, in particular the end of wearing a mask in public transport on May 16, 2022, which symbolized the lifting of the last major restriction. Health professionals are therefore calling on the French to get back to applying social distancing, regular hand washing, etc. Summer festivities such as concerts or even summer sales bring together hundreds and sometimes thousands of people… Risky situations where it might sometimes be more prudent to put your mask back on.
