Key Points

COVID-19

• In the Pays de la Loire region, the epidemic situation continued to improve in Week 21, with a decrease in SARS-CoV-2 circulation and a continued decline in hospital indicators.

• In Week 21, the regional incidence rate reached 218 positive cases per 100,000 inhabitants, a 19% decrease compared to the previous week. The testing rate showed a more moderate decline (-15%), and the positivity rate also continued to decrease. Testing and incidence rates were declining across all age groups; however, those aged 65 and older showed a less pronounced decrease in incidence compared to other age groups, coupled with a rising positivity rate. All departments in the region reported declining indicators and were at relatively consistent levels.

• In terms of healthcare utilization, the number of emergency room visits for suspected COVID-19 and the number of SOS Médecins calls for the same reason continued to decline and had now reached a low level. Hospital indicators had once again reached moderate levels. The number of new hospitalizations of COVID-19 patients at the regional level continued to decline in Week 21, and the number of in-hospital deaths among patients with SARS-CoV-2 was also decreasing. The number of new admissions to critical care, however, remained stable in Week 21, whereas it had previously been decreasing.

Influenza and influenza-like illness

• The Pays de la Loire region moved out of the influenza epidemic phase in Week 19, following 8 weeks in the epidemic phase and 2 weeks in the post-epidemic phase. Indicators of healthcare utilization for influenza-like illnesses (emergency department visits and SOS Médecins calls) and influenza A isolations reported by the Nantes and Angers university hospitals returned to baseline levels. The last reports of clusters of acute respiratory infections (other than COVID-19) by the region’s healthcare facilities and of severe influenza cases hospitalized in critical care units date back to Week 17.

Acute gastroenteritis

• After a decline observed over several weeks, emergency department visits for acute gastroenteritis in the region have stabilized over the past 3 weeks, both for all age groups and among children under 5 years of age.