Epidemiological Surveillance in the Pays de la Loire Region. Update as of September 16, 2021.

Published on 17 September 2021

Key Points

COVID-19

In the Pays de la Loire region, the decline in SARS-CoV-2 circulation continued in weeks 35 and 36. This was accompanied by a slowing of the impact observed on regional hospital indicators.
In week 36, incidence rates were declining across all age groups. They remained highest among those aged 15–30, followed by those aged 0–15 and 30–45. Testing rates were also decreasing across all age groups except among those aged 0–15, where an increase was observed. However, testing remained lower in this age group and was associated with a peak positivity rate, reflecting more targeted testing practices among children.
As in mainland France, the L452R mutation (primarily carried by the Delta variant) remained the overwhelming majority among screened results at the regional level. The number of reported clusters in communities has slowed over the past two weeks, and in S35 primarily involved temporary gatherings of people and child welfare facilities (S36 not consolidated). A decrease in emergency room visits across all age groups for suspected Covid-19 has been observed at the regional level since Week 34, while in urban areas the number of SOS Médecins medical interventions for suspected Covid-19 has remained stable at a moderate level in recent weeks.
In hospitals, a decrease in the number of new hospitalizations of COVID-19 patients reported at the regional level was recorded in weeks 35 and 36. The number of new admissions to critical care units, after a decrease in week 34, appeared to stabilize at a relatively moderate level in weeks 35 and 36, as did the number of in-hospital deaths among COVID-19 patients.
At the departmental level, a decrease in incidence rates was observed in all departments of the region in weeks 35 and 36. Loire-Atlantique remained the department with the highest rate, though it fell below 75 per 100,000 inhabitants, while two departments (Mayenne and Vendée) had rates below 50 per 100,000 inhabitants in S36.
In terms of vaccination, regional vaccination coverage continued to increase most markedly among 12- to 17-year-olds (two-thirds of whom now have a complete vaccination series), followed by 18- to 49-year-olds. It remains highest among 65- to 74-year-olds.