Summary

What is currently known about the situation in Réunion?

In Réunion, the majority of cases identified since March 11 were imported; local transmission has remained limited. Thanks to an early reduction in incoming flights, the start of lockdown (March 17) a few days after the first imported cases (March 11), combined with a mandatory 14-day quarantine upon arrival (mandatory quarantine facilities from March 30 to May 14), the number of potentially infected arrivals who could have spread the virus on the island was limited. The implementation of early detection measures (screening at the airport and expanded testing guidelines in community healthcare settings, including the establishment of drive-through testing sites starting in late March) made it possible to identify cases, trace their contacts, and thus significantly limit local transmission. Since May 12, individual
case investigations have been conducted by the Health Insurance Agency. Case characteristics (description: age, sex, date of symptom onset, type of transmission, etc.) are no longer presented in this update.
The analysis of the epidemiological situation is supplemented by virological indicators from the SIDEP tool (number of new confirmed cases over the past week, positivity rate previously reported).

What’s new in this Update for the region?

In week 22, four secondary local cases linked to an imported case were identified within the same household, and a cluster of four cases within an extended family was investigated. This cluster is under control (no new cases reported over a 7-day period). These signals nevertheless confirm the island’s vulnerability and the possibility of local viral transmission beginning, particularly from imported cases.
During week 23, the 9 new reported cases were all imported from mainland France or Mayotte. No clusters were identified. The incidence and positivity rates (source: SIDEP) were below the vigilance thresholds (<5 per 100,000 and <5%, respectively). Activity related to suspected COVID-19 cases in emergency departments remained stable and low, and no confirmed cases of COVID-19 were reported in healthcare facilities.

What are the public health implications in the region?

To date, the epidemiological situation remains fragile and depends on our collective ability to continue implementing the control measures put in place.
A new introduction of the virus is possible due to the increased frequency of flights and the number of passengers arriving in Réunion, coupled with the continued circulation of the virus in mainland France (nearly 3,000 cases in Week 23) as well as in Mayotte (212 confirmed cases and a 21% test positivity rate in Week 23). Therefore, compliance with preventive measures (including mask-wearing) by everyone is essential. For incoming travelers, strict isolation at home or in a quarantine facility is mandatory to limit the risk of establishing new local transmission chains.
The steps involved in detecting and managing transmission chains and clusters of SARS-CoV-2 infections are essential to limit the spread of the virus. These steps are carried out by the Regional Health Agencies (ARS) in collaboration with the regional units of Santé publique France, based on data from the National Health Insurance system.