Increase in Covid-19 cases across France

A rise in Covid-19 cases is being recorded in France at the start of September, with a further increase expected across the month. 

Analysis of wastewater stations across France points towards an increased presence of SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for the illness.

Concentration of the virus has been steadily increasing since June, and now approaching levels last seen in March. 

France has seen fewer cases of the virus in the spring and summer of 2026 compared to the other post-pandemic years, however the virus is expected to be more prevalent across the autumn and winter.

‘No cause for alarm’ 

There is nothing particularly worrying about the increase.

Since the end of the Covid-19 pandemic the disease has joined a list of common but less-fatal illnesses, such as the flu, with thousands of variants.

The main difference however is that Covid-19 outbreaks are more likely to appear throughout the year, including in summer, it is not seasonal like the flu which is typically seen in winter.

Its presence in wastewater therefore is not the early signs of a new wave of cases, but a typical seasonal arrival. 

Wastewater treatment plants in North America have also noted an increase in the virus’ presence, in a wave starting earlier than in Europe.

This has not corresponded to an increase in hospitalisations for Covid-19 cases however, signalling that the variant spreading the disease is not some extreme form. 

It means the current variant spreading may have less of an impact than variants in previous years. 

Reports of travellers returning from North America and then experiencing strong but short (two to three days) of flu-like symptoms are potentially behind a spread of cases.

It is also possible that variants spreading in Germany – from the Omicron XFG sub-group – have reached France.

In either case, there is “no cause for alarm,” said epidemiologist Dr Antoine Flahault to media outlet Actu. 

“Healthy young adults have no reason for undue concern. Elderly and vulnerable individuals should remain protected against severe forms of the disease thanks to their previous Covid-19 vaccinations,” he said.

New vaccination campaign soon

His advice for vulnerable people is to wear FFP2 protective gear when in large groups, and to ventilate enclosed spaces they spend lots of time in with other people. 

French health authorities have yet to officially announce the dates of the autumn/winter 2026 Covid vaccination campaign, however Ameli, the website for state insurer Assurance Maladie, says that the vaccine rollout will take place ‘mid-October’ in mainland France and Corsica.

The campaign will almost certainly work in tandem with the seasonal flu vaccine drive, as in previous years. 

While full information is not yet available, it is expected that the same conditions for vaccination and reimbursement will be in place as for previous campaigns.