After more than two years punctuated by the pandemic, France is confronted at the start of this summer, like other European countries, with a new wave of Covid-19, carried by new sub-variants of the Omicron family, BA .4 and especially BA.5, arrived from South Africa and Portugal.
The current seventh wave of Covid can be explained in particular by the arrival of this last sub-variant, which is even more contagious than the previous ones.
BA.5 has moreover become the majority, replacing the BA.2 variant, which only represents 21% of cases.
At the hospital, hard hit by the pandemic and in structural crisis, the rebound remains moderate for the moment.
If the hospitalization rates are not worrying, these variants also have a “
longer
” duration of symptoms , indicates Public Health France, raising fears of more absenteeism among summer workers.
Beginning of a 7th wave?
Some epidemiologists claim that the 7th wave has already arrived, others that it is yet to come.
France, where the rise began four weeks ago, could see this peak arrive at the end of July, estimates Catherine Hill.
“
Even if the previous waves showed us that it was impossible to make predictions
”, specifies the epidemiologist.
An estimate confirmed by Professor Jean-François Delfraissy, guest of RTL Thursday, June 30.
“
If we look at what happened last year, when we had the first wave of the Delta variant at the same time, the peak occurred around the end of July.
We expect the same thing for BA.5
”, explained the president of the Scientific Council.
For its part, the World Health Organization (WHO) said it expected “high levels” of Covid-19 this summer in Europe.
How many new cases in France?
What is the incidence rate by department?
What is the incidence and positivity rate by age?
How many hospitalizations and deaths in France?
What is the situation in the world?
