COVID-19 in France
Current COVID-19 activity in France, based on ECDC ERVISS weekly data, set against the parallel flu and RSV trajectories.
This page tracks how much COVID-19 is circulating, not symptoms or diagnosis.
Influenza: Low
Low
The source currently reports no meaningful activity (as of 16 Aug 2026).
Data window: Week 33 · Aug 10 – Aug 16 · Source: ECDC (weekly) · Source on seasonal break, next data from week 40
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View the last 8 weeks
In week 33 of 2026, Influenza activity in France is classified as low.
The source reports no meaningful activity across these weeks; a week-over-week percentage would be pure noise here.
The last 8 reported weeks
| Week | Relative | Level | vs prior week |
|---|---|---|---|
| Week 33 | – | Low | – |
| Week 32 | – | Low | – |
| Week 31 | – | Low | – |
| Week 30 | – | Low | – |
| Week 29 | – | Low | – |
| Week 28 | – | Low | – |
| Week 27 | – | Low | – |
| Week 26 | – | Low | – |
Across these weeks the source reports no meaningful activity, the values sit at the floor of its scale.
Current activity
- InfluenzaLowstableWeek 33Trend: stable · Week 33
- COVID-19LowstableWeek 33Trend: stable · Week 33
- RSVLowstableWeek 33Trend: stable · Week 33
What this means
In week 33 of 2026, activity of COVID-19 in France is low. The trend, derived from clinical surveillance, is stable.
Data, context and methodology
The current picture for France is built on the European Respiratory Virus Surveillance Summary (ERVISS), published weekly by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC). Santé publique France is the national public-health authority that feeds ERVISS with sentinel primary care and virology data.
ECDC ERVISS
ERVISS is ECDC's weekly pan-European surveillance summary for influenza, SARS-CoV-2 and RSV. National authorities, in France's case Santé publique France, submit harmonised indicators every week, which ECDC publishes in a standardised dataset on Thursdays. Using ERVISS rather than each country's native portal ensures cross-country comparability.
ILI / ARI consultation rates and positivity
Santé publique France operates a sentinel network of general practices that report weekly rates of patients consulting for influenza-like illness (ILI) or acute respiratory infection (ARI). A subset of patients is swabbed and tested by reference laboratories, producing pathogen-specific positivity rates for flu, SARS-CoV-2 and RSV.
Why this source
Combining consultation incidence with virological positivity yields a pathogen-specific weekly incidence signal (ILI × positivity / 100). This is the standard European methodology and provides a more robust view than either indicator alone: consultation rates capture illness burden, positivity confirms which pathogen is driving it.
Qualitative classification
The “low”, “moderate” and “high” categories follow seasonal reference values and epidemiological thresholds calibrated to match our classifications for other countries. The ILI × positivity / 100 product is scaled to comparable thresholds using a divisor of 3, which aligns European sentinel peaks with the consultation-equivalent scale used elsewhere. Data refreshes weekly when ECDC publishes the latest ERVISS update, typically on Thursdays.
Source and seasonal pattern by pathogen
- Influenza
- The classification is based on the ECDC ERVISS weekly reports, drawing on data from Santé publique France's sentinel GP network and laboratory positivity rates. Seasonally, infection waves in France typically peak between January and March; activity is usually markedly lower during the summer months.
- COVID-19
- The classification is based on the ECDC ERVISS weekly reports, drawing on COVID-19 surveillance data from Santé publique France's sentinel GP network and lab positivity indicators. Seasonally, infection waves in France typically peak during winter, with occasional summer waves driven by new variants; activity is usually markedly lower in late spring between waves.
- RSV
- The classification is based on the ECDC ERVISS weekly reports, drawing on RSV surveillance data from Santé publique France's sentinel network and laboratory positivity indicators. Seasonally, infection waves in France typically peak between December and February; activity is usually markedly lower in spring and summer.
Frequently asked questions
How is COVID-19 monitored in France today?
COVID-19 surveillance in France is now embedded in the broader respiratory-infection monitoring run by Santé publique France. Indicators include SOS Médecins consultations, OSCOUR emergency visits, SIVIC hospital and ICU admissions, sentinel virological testing, and variant characterisation by the Centre national de référence des virus des infections respiratoires. Results are published weekly and also contribute to the ECDC ERVISS dashboard.
Is COVID-19 still dangerous in France?
COVID-19 is now endemic in France and continues to cause hospitalisations and deaths each winter, concentrated in older adults and people with weakened immune systems. Thanks to vaccination and prior infections, most people experience an illness closer to flu or a bad cold. Long COVID remains under study and is followed through dedicated health surveys. Risk is managed through targeted boosters rather than general restrictions.
When do COVID-19 waves happen in France?
So far, COVID-19 in France has not settled into a strict single-season rhythm like influenza. A winter wave overlapping with flu and RSV has been the most consistent pattern, but summer and spring waves have also occurred when new variants emerged with a clear immune-escape advantage. Variant surveillance is therefore watched alongside hospitalisations for early warning of a resurgence.
Who is eligible for a COVID-19 booster in France?
France runs autumn COVID-19 booster campaigns targeted at groups advised by the Haute Autorité de Santé, typically including adults aged 65 and over, people with comorbidities, pregnant women, residents of medical and social institutions, and healthcare workers. Vaccines are available in pharmacies, GP practices, and vaccination centres. Santé publique France publishes uptake data alongside weekly surveillance.
Are new variants still a concern?
SARS-CoV-2 continues to evolve, and new sublineages are detected by routine French sequencing coordinated by the national reference centre. Most emerging variants cause illness broadly comparable to their predecessors, but lineages with clear immune escape can drive faster and larger waves. Santé publique France reports variant trends in its respiratory-infection bulletins and via the ECDC ERVISS platform.
More situation reports
Data last refreshed: Sep 1, 2026, 00:06. Update cadence: weekly.
This page is not medical advice and does not replace consultation with a healthcare professional. For specific symptoms, please contact a medical professional.
About this page
Published by Renderei Martin GmbH, Berlin. No commercial interest in individual health recommendations. The app is optionally monetised via a freemium subscription.
Content is based exclusively on the linked official surveillance publications. Medical statements are curated against the guidance of RKI, ECDC and WHO.
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