Key Points

Significant increase in COVID-19 pressure on hospitals and rising viral circulation

The number of new confirmed COVID-19 cases continues to rise in the Île-de-France region, with a standardized incidence rate reaching 344 cases per 100,000 inhabitants. This increase is observed in all departments of the region except Paris. The inclusion of delayed virological results could lead to an upward revision of the latest figures. This upward trend has been ongoing for several weeks across all departments and affects all age groups. After a later onset, individuals over 65 have now seen a rapid rise in their incidence rate over the past two weeks, while a gradual homogenization of positivity rates across age groups is observed, indicating increasingly widespread circulation of the virus in the population.

It should be noted that the incidence rate is dependent on the intensity of testing activity: differences between departments must be interpreted in light of the positivity rate. In this regard, Seine-Saint-Denis requires particular vigilance due to its incidence rate being in line with the Île-de-France average, while this department has the second-lowest testing rate after Seine-et-Marne. The ongoing rollout of rapid antigen tests, the results of which are not currently being collected in the SI-DEP system, will constitute an additional factor to consider when interpreting future virological surveillance data.