Key Points

• In primary care, from August 17 to 23, the estimated number of consultations attributable to COVID-19 among consultations for acute respiratory infections (ARI) is on the rise.

• Increase in the number of visits for suspected COVID-19 conducted by SOS Médecins compared to the previous week (20 vs. 9).

• Increase in the number of patients residing in Martinique who were hospitalized in intensive care units.

• From August 17 to 23 (Week 34), 144 new confirmed cases were recorded, compared to 111 the previous week (data consolidated as of August 25).

• Data from virological surveillance (SI-DEP) in week 34 confirm a sharp increase in the incidence rate per 100,000 inhabitants (40.14/100,000, close to the alert threshold set at 50/100,000). The positivity rate (4.52%), which has been rising steadily for the past four weeks, is close to the vigilance threshold set at 5%.

• 4 clusters still under investigation; 1 under control and 3 closed

Epidemiological surveillance indicators confirm a resurgence of active SARS-CoV-2 transmission in Martinique. This community transmission primarily affects the 15–44 and 45–64 age groups.

Strict adherence to preventive measures and physical distancing at all levels (family, friends, and work) are the two main levers that can help reverse the trend observed in recent days. Martinique’s vulnerability to COVID-19 is high.

Martinique, like the three other territories of the French Antilles (Guadeloupe, Saint Martin, and Saint Barthélemy), has been classified as an “area of active virus circulation.”