Key Points

Extreme heat, heat wave

Seek of medical care for heat-related conditions increased in weeks 32 and 33 compared to previous weeks but remained at moderate levels. A heatwave is currently underway this week in the region, with the Vendée under an orange alert from Météo-France since Tuesday, August 22, and three departments under a yellow alert (Loire-Atlantique and Maine-et-Loire since August 22, and Sarthe since August 23).

Dengue

• Since May 1, 2023, the start of the enhanced arbovirus surveillance season, 21 imported cases of dengue (probable or confirmed cases) have been reported in the Pays de la Loire region.

COVID-19

• Seekings of medical care (SOS Médecins calls and emergency department visits) for suspected COVID-19 in the Pays de la Loire region increased between weeks S31 and S33 but remained at moderate levels.

• Since 2023-S02, the incidence rate has remained below 50 per 100,000 inhabitants, with a low of 4 cases per 100,000 inhabitants in 2023-S27. After several weeks of stability at a very low level, the incidence rate rose in weeks 32 and 33 but remained at low levels (15 per 100,000 in week 33).

• Since June 20, 2023, a few clusters of COVID-19 cases have been reported by long-term care facilities in the Pays de la Loire region; however, as the new reporting system is still ramping up, the small number of reports does not yet allow for the identification of trends.

• The EG.5 variant and its sublineages have been detected sporadically in the Pays de la Loire region. However, given the very low incidence rates, the number of sequences analyzed as part of rapid investigations in the region has been too low in recent weeks to determine the proportions of the different variants and track their spread.