Key Points

COVID-19

In the Pays de la Loire region, the rise in SARS-CoV-2 transmission that began in Week 10 was confirmed and accelerated in Weeks 11–12, accompanied by a sharp increase in new hospitalizations in Week 12.

In Week 12, the regional incidence rate continued to rise, reaching 1,335 per 100,000 inhabitants, a 46% increase compared to Week 11. This increase affected all age groups, particularly those aged 15 and older. Testing and positivity rates were also on the rise. The increase in the testing rate affected all age groups, and the positivity rate remained stable among those under 15 but rose in all other age groups.

In terms of healthcare utilization, SOS Médecins calls for suspected Covid-19 cases decreased in S12 following an increase in S10-S11, while the number of emergency department visits increased in S11 and S12. In hospitals, the number of new hospitalizations of COVID-19 patients at the regional level showed a sharp increase in S12. The number of new admissions to intensive care and the number of in-hospital deaths remained stable.

In long-term care facilities (ESMS), the number of new reported outbreaks, the number of COVID-19 cases among residents and staff, remained stable at a moderate to high level. The number of deaths remained stable at a low level.

At the departmental level, in Week 12, incidence rates were rising in all departments and were relatively consistent across departments, with the highest rate observed in Vendée. The number of new
hospitalizations was increasing in all departments.

Influenza and Influenza-Like Illness

The Pays de la Loire region has been in an influenza epidemic phase since Week 09, marking the fourth consecutive week. A continued sharp rise in indicators of healthcare utilization for influenza-like illnesses (emergency room visits and SOS Médecins calls) and in influenza A isolations reported by the Nantes and Angers university hospitals was observed in Week 12. These positive isolates were still largely derived from samples taken from children but increasingly involved all other age groups as well. Nationally, a predominance of the A(H3N2) virus, circulating alongside A(H1N1)pdm09, has been reported. Four severe cases of influenza were hospitalized in critical care units in Week 12. The number of ARI outbreaks (excluding COVID-19) reported by the region’s healthcare facilities has been increasing since Week 9, with 10 new outbreaks occurring, 3 of which were confirmed as influenza.

Acute Gastroenteritis

Very high rates of healthcare utilization for acute gastroenteritis continued to be observed in weeks 11–12 in the region, primarily among children under 5 years of age. However, after several weeks of increase, the number of emergency department visits declined in weeks 11 and 12.