Key Points

COVID-19

In the Pays de la Loire region, the rise in SARS-CoV-2 virus circulation indicators observed in S07 continued into S08, following a period of decline observed in early February. The spread of the variant of interest 20I/501Y.V1 (UK), which is more transmissible, also continued.
In terms of viral circulation, a trend toward rising incidence and positivity rates at a high level was observed in Week 08, against a backdrop of a slight decline in the testing rate. The 15–30 and 30–45 age groups had the highest incidence rates. The proportion of suspected cases of the 20I/501Y.V1 (UK) variant was increasing in the region in Week 8 compared to previous weeks, while the proportion of suspected cases of the 20H/501Y.V2 (ZA) or 20J/501Y.V3 (BR) variants remained relatively stable.
The number of reported clusters in care facilities, which rose sharply in early 2021, has been gradually decreasing since Week 5. Similarly, the number of COVID-19 outbreaks in long-term care facilities (ESMS/EHPAD) in the region has been decreasing since Week 6.

At the departmental level, virological indicators increased in Sarthe, Maine-et-Loire, and Vendée, remained relatively stable in Loire-Atlantique, and decreased in Mayenne. Maine-et-Loire and Sarthe still had the highest incidence and positivity rates in the region in Week 8. In Vendée, a marked increase in reported new hospitalizations was observed in Week 8.

Bronchiolitis

Second week of the bronchiolitis epidemic among children under two years of age in the Pays de la Loire region. A stabilization at a high level of emergency department visits for bronchiolitis, RSV isolations, and SOS Médecins calls was observed in week 08.

Gastroenteritis

After a sharp increase in early January followed by a plateau at a moderate level, SOS Médecins calls for gastroenteritis were slightly down in Week 8 across all age groups, while emergency department visits remained generally low.