Key Points

COVID-19

• In Week 13 of 2022, the spread of SARS-CoV-2 in the Grand Est region showed signs of stabilizing:

  • Decrease in incidence among those under 20, and a trend toward stabilization for other age groups

  • Increase in the hospitalization rate compared to the previous week

  • Stabilization in emergency room visits

  • Departmental incidence rates: incidence rates have stabilized, except in Marne, where they are rising, and in Meurthe-et-Moselle, where they are falling. The highest rate is observed in Bas-Rhin (1,745 cases per 100,000 inhabitants), and the lowest is observed in Aube (1,302 cases per 100,000 inhabitants)

• Variants:

  • The screening rate is 46%, and 96% of screened tests indicate a suspected Omicron variant (for tests where the mutation is sought and interpretable)

• Prevention:

  • Vaccination (COVID Vaccine data): As of April 4, 2022, full vaccination coverage for the region was 77.4%. 87.6% of those aged 65–74 and 79.1% of those aged 75 and older had received a booster dose.

Bronchiolitis

• OSCOUR®: In week 13 of 2022, the proportion of emergency department visits related to bronchiolitis among children under 2 years of age was 2.8% (Figure 4), representing 53 visits. The proportion of hospitalizations for bronchiolitis among all hospitalizations following an emergency department visit was 7.9% in week 13 of 2022.

• Virology data: Based on results from the virology laboratories at the Nancy and Strasbourg University Hospitals in week 13 of 2022.

Influenza and influenza-like illnesses

• Oscour®: The number of emergency department visits for influenza-like illness, all ages (Figure 6), continues to rise in week S13-2022 compared to the previous week (853 versus 815 in S12-2022) and accounts for 3% of activity. Children under 15 years of age account for more than half of the visits.

• Virology data: According to data from the virology laboratories at the Nancy and Strasbourg University Hospitals, influenza virus circulation remains very high in week 13-2022 in the region, with almost exclusively influenza A virus.

• Intensive care units in the region: Since the start of surveillance (10/04/2021), three cases of severe influenza have been reported.

• Acute respiratory infections in long-term care facilities: Since the start of surveillance (October 4, 2021), 19 episodes of ARI (excluding COVID-19) have been reported.

Gastroenteritis

• Oscour®: The number of emergency department visits for gastroenteritis, all ages, decreased in week 13 of 2022 (653 visits compared to 821 in week 12 of 2022), accounting for 2.3% of department activity. Children under 5 years of age still account for the majority of this activity, with 407 visits for gastroenteritis (10.3% of the activity share for this age group). The proportion of hospitalizations for gastroenteritis across all ages among all hospitalizations following an emergency department visit is declining (1.9%), and is also decreasing among children under 5 years of age (15%).

• Virology data: According to data from the virology laboratories at the Nancy and Strasbourg University Hospitals, rotavirus is by far the most common among enteric viruses and continues to circulate at high levels.