Summary

Epidemiological Situation in French Guiana as of July 23, 2020, at 8:00 a.m.

Since early March, 7,086 cases of COVID-19 have been detected in French Guiana: on average, 80 cases have been confirmed each day since the last Epidemio Update, compared to 70 per day the previous week. Over the past few days, we have therefore observed a relative stabilization in the number of new confirmed infections.
Analysis of the overall data suggests that the epidemic peaked during the first week of July, followed by two weeks of a sharp slowdown in new transmissions, despite the continued high level of testing.
Nearly 4,000 tests were still conducted last week, even though it included a holiday, reflecting the continued testing effort. The positivity rate has dropped sharply over the past two weeks, falling from over 30% to approximately 18%.
With an average of 23 new hospitalizations per day—including 2 per day in intensive care—the trend is also stabilizing, allowing the hospital system to experience reduced pressure, albeit at a fairly slow pace.
With 40 hospital deaths as of July 22, the health impact of severe cases of COVID-19 was confirmed last week, with a lag of at least one week from the admission of severe or poorly tolerated cases of COVID-19. The excess mortality observed, attributable to the coronavirus, remains, however, significantly lower than that observed in many countries during the first wave.
The trend remains unstable in western French Guiana as well as along the Maroni River, where the epidemic appears to have progressed later and more slowly.
The French Guiana Sentinel Physicians Network reports a further decrease in acute respiratory infections, a portion of which is attributable to the coronavirus.
Visits to the emergency room for suspected COVID-19 have declined at the Cayenne General Hospital, but remain stable in Kourou and are increasing in St. Laurent du Maroni.
This new phase of irregular decline in coronavirus transmission will require maintaining high vigilance to effectively control viral circulation, while providing the best possible protection for the most vulnerable among us.
Tracking, testing, and prevention efforts will continue in the coming weeks through coordination between the Regional Health Agency (ARS) and local stakeholders and authorities, along with intensive contact tracing of all newly confirmed cases by the Health Insurance teams.
The strictest possible preventive measures remain in effect in daily life, particularly for anyone exhibiting suggestive symptoms or a positive test result, as well as for all individuals in close contact with them, who must get tested, self-isolate for 14 days, and wear a mask, among other precautions.