The number of re-infections with Covid-19 has increased significantly recently, now reaching 12% of confirmed cases, while the circulation of the virus continues to intensify on the territory, Public Health France indicated Friday, July 8 in its weekly update.
According to the latest data available as of June 12, 12% of confirmed cases of Covid-19 were possible cases of reinfection.
Between March 2, 2021 and June 12, 2022, possible reinfections accounted for 4.1% of all confirmed Covid-19 cases.
Public Health France defines a reinfection as a new infection (detected by a positive test) occurring at least 60 days after a primary infection occurring since March 2021.
Majority of Omicron variant infections
"
The increase has been continuous since the arrival of the Omicron wave
", commented Vincent Auvigne, epidemiologist from Public Health France, during a press briefing.
The vast majority (93.5%) of cases of reinfection that have occurred since March 2021 were indeed "
suspected Omicron variant
".
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Despite a high number of reinfections with a subvariant of Omicron after a first infection with another subvariant of Omicron (44% of cases), "
the probability that a reinfection will actually occur after a first infection with a other variant (Alpha, Delta or other)
" "
remains significantly higher
", underlines the agency.
In addition, “
the further the first contamination is in time, the more the probability of reinfection will increase
”, specified Vincent Auvigne.
Wearing a mask recommended
Over the week ending July 3, the circulation of Covid-19 intensified in mainland France, and new hospitalizations as well as deaths increased sharply, mainly affecting the oldest, insufficiently vaccinated, also noted Public Health France.
Thursday evening, more than 154,600 new cases of Covid-19 were recorded, with 17,719 hospitalized patients, including 1,523 new admissions.
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On Friday, the new Minister of Health, François Braun, spoke of the seventh wave of Covid at the time of the first departures on vacation, while wearing a mask is recommended, but not compulsory.
"
I ask the French for this day of great departure on vacation to put the mask on the trains, on the buses, in all the places where we are a little on top of each other
", he insisted.
