Paris ( France ) - (AFP) - The COVID-19 epidemic , which subsided for a short time in France after a wave in early autumn, is re-emerging, with the number of infections and hospitalizations rising, driven by low temperatures and the emergence of a new variant, which has raised fears for the health of the most vulnerable. .

On Friday, 48,629 new injuries were reported in France, compared to 33,177 new injuries the previous Friday, an increase of 46 percent.

The current rise is reflected in the "increase in the number of new hospitalizations and admissions to the intensive care unit" after "four weeks of decline," according to the Public Health Authority in its latest weekly statement. More than 4,500 hospitalizations were received during the past seven days.

"The reproduction rate of Covid has increased to more than 1 a few days ago, which means an increase in the infection rate: we are at the beginning of a more or less steady curve," epidemiologist Pascal Crepe told AFP.

Some experts have no doubt that "a ninth wave is taking shape in France in particular and in Europe, Southeast Asia and North America in general," Antoine Flauault, director of the Institute of Global Health at the University of Geneva, told AFP.

In France, "if we are based on previous years, we can expect the curve to continue to rise and for Christmas to provide the first lull" thanks to the school holidays, according to Flowault.

In France, the first eight waves provided some immunity to a population that had been widely vaccinated but had delayed the second dose.

And in the event that the total number of patients in hospitals (less than 19 thousand) remains below the highest levels recorded this year, the resurgence of the epidemic may lead to the exhaustion of the already faltering health system.

The hospital is already facing an epidemic of bronchiolitis on an unprecedented scale, while the upcoming seasonal influenza is raising fears of a "triple" effect.

The epidemic has claimed 158,771 lives in France, according to the World Health Organization, and more than 6.6 million deaths worldwide.