Key Points

COVID-19

In the Pays de la Loire region, SARS-CoV-2 transmission began to decline in S05. Healthcare utilization also showed a downward trend, but pressure on the healthcare system remained high.

In Week 5, the regional incidence rate was declining, standing at 2,803 per 100,000 inhabitants, in line with a testing rate that continued to decrease. The positivity rate began to decline in Week 5 after peaking in Week 4; however, the positivity rate among people over 65 was still rising at the regional level. As in the previous week, age-based disparities were observed: the incidence rate was falling sharply for people under 65, and it was stabilizing at the regional level for people over 65. The Omicron variant was overwhelmingly predominant, with nearly 100% of screenings indicating suspected Omicron cases in Week 5 at the regional level. Nationally, it accounted for 99% of interpretable sequences from the Flash S04 survey (preliminary data).

Regarding healthcare utilization, SOS Médecins calls for suspected Covid-19 continued to decline in Week 5. In hospitals, emergency department visits for suspected Covid-19 were down. After a sharp increase since the start of the year, new hospitalizations of COVID-19 patients reported at the regional level also decreased in Week 5. In contrast, the number of new admissions reported to critical care units increased moderately in Week 5, whereas it had been stable the previous week. The number of new hospital deaths rose sharply in Week 5, primarily among those over 80 years of age. The number of new outbreaks in long-term care facilities continued to decline in Week 5, and the number of confirmed cases among staff stabilized; however, the number of confirmed cases among residents continued to rise.

Influenza

The Pays de la Loire region has been in the pre-epidemic phase of influenza since Week 51 of 2021. Indicators of healthcare utilization in the region (emergency department visits and SOS Médecins calls) as well as influenza isolations at the Nantes and Angers university hospitals remain at moderate and generally stable levels, with no marked increase recorded. After three consecutive weeks without any severe flu cases admitted to intensive care, one case was reported in Week 05, bringing the total to 17 cases since the start of the 2021/22 seasonal surveillance period. Since Week 03, no new clusters of non-COVID-19 acute respiratory infections (ARI) have been reported in the region’s healthcare facilities (including nursing homes) (3 clusters reported in Week 03, 0 in Weeks 04 and 05 to date).

Bronchiolitis

The bronchiolitis epidemic ended in the Pays de la Loire region in Week 03, after entering the post-epidemic phase the previous week. It lasted a total of 13 weeks (Week 41-2021 to Week 01-2022).

Acute gastroenteritis

Healthcare utilization for acute gastroenteritis rose sharply in Week 5, particularly among children under 5 years of age.