Key Points

COVID-19

Viral circulation has been increasing in all departments since the start of the school year, in line with increased testing. The rise in the incidence rate is significant among children under 15, but also across all age groups in northern Franche-Comté.

Regarding hospital activity, the number of new hospitalizations is stable, while the number of new admissions to intensive care and deaths is rising slightly.

Viral circulation is increasing in all departments, with more than one person in a hundred tested in week 36, except in Nièvre (834 tests per 100,000 inhabitants). The neighboring departments of Doubs and Territoire-de-Belfort have the highest incidence rates (247 per 100,000 inhabitants) and positivity rates (23% and 22%, respectively). The increase in the incidence rate is sharp in Territoire-de-Belfort (+43%) in week 36, but is also approaching 300 cases per 100,000 inhabitants in Haute-Saône and Doubs (northern Franche-Comté).

The overall rise in incidence is marked among those under 15 (IR=283/100,000 inhabitants), tripling compared to week 35 due to increased testing as well as a higher positivity rate (+10%). Incidence rates are highest among those aged 3–11 and 30–39 (incidence rate around 300 per 100,000 inhabitants).

The Omicron variant is circulating exclusively in Bourgogne-Franche-Comté (100% of RT-PCR samples sequenced as S34). Screening data suggest that the BA.5 sublineage is the dominant strain in the region (89%). Interpretation is limited by the small number of sequenced samples available for recent weeks.