While at least eleven million French people have been infected with the Omicron variant, the peak of infections seems to have passed.
The slowdown in the circulation of SARS-CoV-2 is confirmed, summarized Public Health France on Friday in its weekly update, noting a decrease in the incidence rate of 29% from January 31 to February 6.
This Friday, a study by DREES shows that the number of hospitalizations linked to the Omicron variant is decreasing, both in conventional hospitalization and in critical care.
Another finding is that the length of hospital stays remains slightly shorter with Omicron than with the Delta variant.
Figures from Public Health France point in this direction.
On Friday 31,939 people were treated in hospital services, against 32,415 on Thursday and 32,998 on Friday February 4.
The occupation of critical care services, units reserved for patients with the most serious forms of the disease, is also down: 3,371 patients are currently hospitalized there, against 3,416 on Thursday and 3,618 a week ago.
A high number of deaths
Deaths, which have increased sharply since November, remain for the moment at a very high level, mainly among unvaccinated and immunocompromised people.
“Over the last seven days, the epidemic has killed 2,000 people,” Prime Minister Jean Castex noted on Friday.
On Thursday alone, there were 310 deaths recorded in hospital over the previous 24 hours.
This Friday 269 new deaths were recorded in hospitals.
But “we must remain cautious about the evolution of this epidemic”, recalled Isabelle Parent, responsible for respiratory infections and vaccinations within the health agency.
And to note “levels of incidence which remain high (and) regional disparities”, but also a decrease “less marked in people aged 60 and over”, more vulnerable.
The arrival of new variants can once again turn everything upside down.
A sub-variant of Omicron, designated by the name BA.2, is thus scrutinized closely.
Having become the majority in India or Denmark, it has so far remained a minority in France, but is increasing nationally.
It represented 6.5% of contaminations on January 31, according to preliminary data, against 2% in mid-January.