Key Points

COVID-19

• In the Pays de la Loire region, SARS-CoV-2 transmission continued to decline in weeks 17 and 18, despite the resumption of activity following the Easter holidays. Hospital indicators were also declining but remained at relatively high levels.

• In Week 18, the regional incidence rate fell below 500 cases per 100,000 inhabitants (442 per 100,000 inhabitants), representing an 18% decrease compared to Week 17. The testing rate showed a more moderate decline (-8%), and the positivity rate also continued to decrease. Testing and incidence rates were declining across all age groups except among those under 15, where they began to rise again after falling during the two-week school break. The incidence rate among those under 15, however, remained slightly lower than in other age groups but was associated with a higher positivity rate. All departments in the region showed declining indicators and were at relatively consistent levels.

• In terms of healthcare utilization, the number of emergency department visits for suspected Covid-19 continued to decline from Week 15 to Week 18. SOS Médecins calls for the same reason, however, remained stable. In hospitals, the number of new hospitalizations of COVID-19 patients at the regional level and the number of new admissions to intensive care continued in W17–W18 the decline that began in W16. The number of in-hospital deaths among patients with SARS-CoV-2, however, remained stable. These three hospital indicators were still at a relatively high level in W18.

Influenza and influenza-like illness

• The Pays de la Loire region entered the post-epidemic phase for influenza in Week 17, following an 8-week epidemic. Indicators of healthcare utilization for influenza-like illnesses (emergency department visits and SOS Médecins calls) continued to decline in S17 and S18, marking four consecutive weeks of decline, as did influenza A isolates reported by the Nantes and Angers university hospitals. These various indicators reached levels comparable to the pre-epidemic phase, prior to Week 09.

• Reports from the sentinel surveillance network of severe influenza cases hospitalized in critical care units continued to decline. The last report of a cluster of acute respiratory infections (other than COVID-19) by the region’s ESMSs dated back to Week 17. Nationally, influenza indicators continued to decline, and all metropolitan regions are now in the post-epidemic phase.

Acute Gastroenteritis

• The decline in healthcare utilization for acute gastroenteritis continued in the region during weeks 17 and 18, for all age groups as well as among children under 5 years of age.