Key Points

COVID-19

In the Pays de la Loire region, the spread of SARS-CoV-2 began to stabilize in S04, although a significant impact was still observed on the healthcare system, which remained under strain, as well as in long-term care facilities.

In Week 4, the regional incidence rate for all ages began to stabilize, remaining above 4,000 per 100,000 inhabitants (the highest rate ever recorded since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020), in line with a declining testing rate. The number of symptomatic positive cases continued to rise, as did the positivity rate, reaching a new high of nearly 42% in S04. Significant disparities by age continued to be observed: the incidence rate ranged from approximately 1,100 per 100,000 population among those aged 65 and older to approximately 6,700 per 100,000 population among those aged 0–15. However, those aged 65 and older showed an increase in the incidence rate of more than 20% in S04, unlike other age groups, where it remained relatively stable or even declined. The Omicron variant became largely predominant, with nearly 100% of screenings indicating suspected Omicron cases in S04 at the regional level. Nationally, it was suspected in 99% of screening tests and confirmed in 97% of interpretable sequences from the Flash survey in S03 (preliminary data).

Influenza

The Pays de la Loire region has been in the pre-epidemic phase of influenza since S51-2021. Emergency department visits and SOS Médecins calls for flu-like symptoms remain at moderate and relatively stable levels, with no marked increase recorded. The same was true for influenza A isolations reported by the Nantes and Angers university hospitals, the vast majority of which were in children. The number of clusters of acute respiratory infections (other than COVID-19) in the region’s long-term care facilities (ESMS), including nursing homes (Ehpad), increased in Week 03, though it remained at a low level, and no clusters were reported in Week 04. Finally, no severe cases of influenza admitted to intensive care have been reported since Week 02 as part of regional surveillance.

Bronchiolitis

End of the bronchiolitis epidemic among children under 2 years of age. 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). Indicators of healthcare utilization for bronchiolitis among children under 2 years of age (emergency department visits and SOS Médecins calls) saw a marked decrease in W01, followed generally by stabilization and then a renewed downward trend in W04. A gradual decrease in RSV isolations by the Nantes and Angers university hospitals is also confirmed.

Acute gastroenteritis

High activity in healthcare utilization for acute gastroenteritis, particularly among children under 5 years of age in S04.