Key Points

Viral circulation continues to decline and the peak in hospitalizations has been reached, but levels remain high, prompting continued vigilance

In Week 33 at the regional level, COVID-19 syndromic surveillance indicators related to emergency care visits were decreasing in hospitals (Oscour® network emergency facilities) as well as in private practice (SOS Médecins associations).

Virological indicators were declining in all departments of the region, with incidence rates still at high levels—notably above 400 cases per 100,000 inhabitants in Hérault and Gard (8 other departments above 200 cases per 100,000 inhabitants and 3 departments below). The L452R mutation was detected in 95% of positive samples screened for this mutation. Weekly numbers of new hospital admissions were decreasing in the region for week 33, while the number of new cases in critical care units remained stable at a high level.

Estimates of the effective reproduction number (R_e) as of August 24 for Occitanie were significantly below 1 for SI-DEP and OSCOUR® and equal to 1 for SI-VIC.

Regarding all-cause mortality data, the weekly number of deaths across all age groups observed in week 30 was above expected values only at the regional level. The number of hospital deaths in week 33 was increasing compared to week 32.

Overall, in week 33 for the Occitanie region, a continued decline in viral circulation was observed across all departments, with incidence rates of confirmed cases remaining very high. COVID-19 hospital activity was decreasing at the regional level for new hospitalizations and was tending to stabilize in critical care units. However, the level of activity in healthcare facilities remains high. The number of hospital deaths was still rising, as was the number of deaths from all causes in week 31.