Key Points

COVID-19

Confirmation that the fifth wave has peaked in Occitanie

In week 06-2022, virological indicators remained at very high levels in Occitanie but were declining sharply in all departments compared to the previous week and, depending on the department, for the second or third consecutive week. This trend reflects an improvement in the epidemic situation in the region and confirms that the peak of the fifth wave of the COVID-19 epidemic was reached in weeks 03 or 04 of 2022, depending on the department: the epidemic peak was reached in week 03-2022 (January 17–23) for the departments of Gard, Haute-Garonne, Hérault, and Pyrénées-Orientales, and in week 04-2022 (January 24–30) for the other departments.
However, this improvement in the epidemic situation should not overshadow the important role of adhering to preventive measures and continuing vaccination efforts to combat, on the one hand, the transmission of the virus within the population and, on the other hand, severe forms of COVID-19, particularly among vulnerable populations.

Influenza and Flu-Like Illness

The region has been in an epidemic phase for 9 weeks. After an increase in late December, indicators declined in early January, reaching a high plateau and stabilizing for 5 weeks. In week 06, indicators are rising slightly again. The Pyrénées-Orientales department appears to be particularly affected, as are, as previously, children under 15 years of age.

Acute gastroenteritis

• In hospital settings, according to data reported by emergency departments to the Oscour® network, gastroenteritis activity was high in week 06-2022 (Figure 13). Hospital admissions for gastroenteritis across all age groups (and particularly among children under 5) were on the rise compared to the previous week. In week 06-2022, 760 visits for gastroenteritis were recorded (including 545 for patients under 5 years of age), representing 2.6% of all visits (versus 592 visits in week 05-2022, including 419 for children under 5).

• In private practice, according to data from the region’s SOS Médecins associations, gastroenteritis activity was low in week 06-2022. Procedures for gastroenteritis diagnoses across all age groups remained stable compared to previous weeks. In week 06-2022, 222 procedures for this diagnosis were recorded (including 90 for patients under 5 years of age), representing 6.8% of the overall activity of the SOS Médecins associations (258 procedures in week 05-2022).