Key Points

COVID-19

• In Week 23, viral circulation continued to decline at a more moderate pace; the incidence rate adjusted for the June 6 holiday effect was 205 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, a 10% decrease compared to Week 22. The positivity rate was 13%. Note that the effective R remains below 1 but is rising slightly. At the same time, the number of new hospitalizations decreased between Week 22 and Week 23. New admissions to intensive care and deaths continue to fluctuate at a low level.

• The Omicron variant still accounts for 100% of interpretable sequences, with the BA.2 sublineage dominant. Cases of the BA.4 and BA.5 sublineages of the Omicron variant are on the rise in Réunion.

Influenza

• Pre-epidemic phase

• The number of emergency room visits remained low (n=8), with no significant public health impact. In community practice, the sentinel physician network identified only low-level circulation of influenza A(H3N2) viruses, with an average of 3 positive samples per week.