Key Points

COVID-19

In the Pays de la Loire region, the spread of SARS-CoV-2 continued to rise sharply, linked to the spread of the Omicron variant at the national and regional levels, with a significant impact on the healthcare system, healthcare utilization, and long-term care facilities.

Bronchiolitis

The Pays de la Loire region has entered the post-epidemic phase for bronchiolitis in S02 after 13 weeks of the epidemic. Indicators of healthcare utilization (emergency department visits and SOS Médecins calls) for bronchiolitis in children under 2 years of age have been declining since the peak of activity in Week 48. The stronger downward trend observed in Week 01 was confirmed in Week 02. Healthcare utilization has returned to levels comparable to those observed in the pre-epidemic phase. The number of RSV isolates reported by the Nantes and Angers university hospitals showed a marked decrease in Week 01, and this trend was confirmed in Week 02, with the number of RSV isolates remaining at a very low level.

Influenza and influenza-like illness

The Pays de la Loire region has been in the pre-epidemic phase for influenza since Week 51. Emergency department visits for influenza-like illness and SOS Médecins calls fluctuate from week to week and remain at moderate levels. Influenza A isolations increased at the Nantes University Hospital in Week 02 before returning to a level comparable to that observed in Week 52. Influenza A isolations reported by the Nantes University Hospital laboratory continued to primarily involve children. No influenza isolates were identified at the Angers University Hospital in Week 02. Furthermore, as of January 18, 16 severe cases of influenza had been admitted to intensive care in the region, none of which occurred in Week 02, according to regional surveillance organized by SpF. The number of non-COVID-19 acute respiratory infection (ARI) outbreaks in long-term care facilities remained low.

Acute gastroenteritis

High activity in healthcare utilization for acute gastroenteritis among children under 5 years of age.