Summary

Situation in Bourgogne-Franche-Comté

With the first confirmed case on February 26, 2020, Bourgogne-Franche-Comté (BFC) was one of the first regions in France to face the COVID-19 pandemic. The major impact of this pandemic on the population—and in particular on the most vulnerable, including the elderly—shows geographic disparities that reflect the intensity of the virus’s spread prior to the implementation of general lockdown measures on March 17, 2020. In week 17 (April 20–26, 2020), the trend was downward for several indicators of healthcare utilization, both in outpatient settings and in hospitals. The region experienced a significant excess of all-cause mortality across all age groups for six weeks, from Week 12 (March 16–22, 2020) to Week 17 (April 20–26, 2020), with a peak in Week 14 (March 30–April 5).

Observed trends

In week 21 (May 18–24, 2020) and for the eighth consecutive week, the number of SOS Médecins calls and emergency room visits for suspected COVID-19 remains low. The circulation of the virus in long-term care facilities (including nursing homes) in the region has been limited for the past month. Mortality in week 19 is comparable to that of previous years. At this stage of the epidemic, 1,001 deaths in hospitals have been recorded.

Virological surveillance

Until recent weeks, virological surveillance relied on non-exhaustive data transmitted to Santé publique France by the 3-labo network (Cerba, Eurofins-Biomnis, Inovie), by certain private clinical laboratories, and by hospital laboratories. It now relies on the SI-DEP system (screening information system), which has been operational since May 13, 2020, and has been gradually ramped up. This new surveillance system aims to comprehensively track all patients tested in France in private laboratories and hospital laboratories.

The continued circulation of the virus in the region requires a high level of vigilance regarding hygiene, protective measures, and physical distancing to minimize the emergence or persistence of transmission chains.
In this context, the early detection of clusters is a major challenge in controlling the spread of the virus, as their rapid management makes it possible to break transmission chains between individuals as early as possible and thus prevent the onset of a new wave of the epidemic.