Key Points

The regional incidence rate has risen again to a high level, with 496 cases per 100,000 residents. The effective R value is 1.12, reflecting this increase.

This fourth wave therefore appears to be still in full swing across the entire territory, driven by a more contagious variant, against the backdrop of the September school reopening and very limited vaccination coverage in the general population.

• The resurgence is limited in Cayenne (+5%), but more pronounced in Savanes (+16%).

• In the West, the fourth wave has accelerated sharply over the past two weeks, with a 68% increase in cases over 7 days, reaching an incidence of 555 per 100,000 inhabitants. It is beginning to spread to Maroni.

Hospital data show stabilization at a high level, with 109 hospitalizations across all departments recorded, compared to 114 hospitalizations in week 2021-36. This level corresponds to the peak observed during the third wave but remains lower than that of the first wave.
A notable increase in pediatric hospitalizations has been observed over the past three weeks, with those under 20 years of age accounting for 9% of hospital admissions—double the rate observed during the third wave.

In addition, intensive care admissions are rising sharply, with 26 ICU admissions compared to 16 in week 2021-36. This level of admissions was previously seen only at the peak of the first wave, and it has now been exceeded. Fifteen deaths were also reported last week, one of the worst figures since March 2020. In the general population, vaccination coverage for a full course stands at 22.3% (versus 21.7% last week). In the 40–75 age group, 46% have received at least one dose in French Guiana, while coverage is lower among the oldest age group (over 75).