Summary

What is currently known about the situation in the Centre-Val de Loire region?

The outbreak began in the region in Eure-et-Loir with the first confirmed case on March 3. The last department to be affected was Indre on March 14. Community spread of the virus began in week 11 of 2020 (March 9–15, 2020). In week 16 (April 13–19, 2020), the trend was downward for several indicators. The region showed a significant excess in all-cause mortality across all age groups between weeks 13 (March 23–29, 2020) and 16, with a peak in week 14 (March 30–April 5).

What’s new in this Update for the region?

In Week 21 (May 18–24), the second week of the easing of lockdown measures, several indicators monitored in connection with COVID-19 remained stable or continued to decline. Between the start of the easing of lockdown measures (May 11) and May 19, 109 COVID-19 clusters were identified in France, including 3 in the Centre-Val de Loire region (page 11).

What are the public health implications in the region?

Regional health stakeholders are now mobilized at all levels to provide the best possible support to the public and institutional actors during the easing of lockdown measures and to prevent a resurgence of the epidemic.

• Healthcare professionals (private practitioners) are on the front lines for managing cases and identifying close contacts.

• Local contact-tracing platforms, bringing together expertise from the Health Insurance Fund and the Regional Health Agency and operational since the start of the week, are responsible for identifying and monitoring new cases and providing support (isolation and compliance with lockdown measures, sick leave, diagnosis, contact tracing, and follow-up of cases and their contacts).

• This system is supplemented by departmental and regional expert teams combining multidisciplinary expertise (ARS, Santé publique France, CPIAS, National Education, etc.) essential for the early identification, characterization, and management of any situation involving clusters of cases or localized resurgence of the epidemic.

To date, the epidemiological situation remains fragile and depends on our collective ability to continue implementing the control measures put in place. The results achieved during the lockdown period were significant; it is therefore important to continue adhering to the rules and preventive measures.