Key Points

COVID-19

In Hauts-de-France, pending confirmation of the most recent data, viral circulation remained very intense throughout the region in week 13. However, since last week, a significant downward trend in the incidence rate has been observed at the regional level and in the departments of Nord and Pas-de-Calais. This very recent trend should be interpreted with caution and confirmed by trends in the coming days. Conversely, in the three southern departments of the region, the epidemic continues to spread in the Oise and shows no favorable epidemiological trend in the Aisne and the Somme.

The epidemic pressure on hospital services remains extremely high, with the number of patients currently being treated in general and critical care units at a level never before seen since the start of the pandemic in the region.

Bronchiolitis

In Week 13 of 2021, bronchiolitis activity was stable in emergency departments and decreasing among SOS Médecins. The number of RSV and other respiratory viruses (rhinovirus and enterovirus) isolated from patients hospitalized in the Lille and Amiens university hospitals was increasing compared to Week 12, remaining at a high level. The recent increase in surveillance indicators for bronchiolitis and other respiratory viral infections, coinciding with the intensification of SARS-CoV-2 circulation, illustrates the decline in public adherence to preventive measures and social distancing since the end of 2020.

Mortality

A significant excess of all-cause mortality has been observed since week 43 of 2020, across all age groups and among people aged 65 and older.