A new wave in France of Covid-19 infections fuelled by emerging variants of the disease should peak towards end-July, the French government's top scientific adviser Jean-Francois Delfraissy said.

“The peak is not yet here, this peak of infections will probably be for end-July,” Delfraissy told RTL radio.

“Then the BA.5 variant will reappear, if it is not overtaken by another variant ...in autumn,” he added.