France has entered an eighth wave of the Covid-19 virus, as the winter season approaches, said a leading French health official.

“Yes, we are in this eighth wave,” said Brigitte Autran, who is a member of the government’s vaccination strategic board.

“All the indicators are on the up,” added Autran.

France’s Covid-19 figures published on Monday showed that the seven-day moving average of daily new cases had reached, with the latest reported figure of 45,631, its highest level since August 2.

France’s overall Covid-19 hospitalisation figures, at 15,166, and the number of Covid-19 patients in hospitals’ intensive care units — at 843 — were also at their highest level since the end of August.

France’s number of Covid-19 deaths currently stands at over 151,500, according to the World Health Organisation.