Key Points

In Week 51 (December 20–26, 2021), total activity at SOS Médecins clinics increased among those aged 75 and older (+14%, or +707 visits), decreased among those aged 2–74 (-13%, or -8,996 visits), and remained stable among children under 2. After a week of stabilization, cases involving suspected COVID-19 are on the rise again and have surpassed the peak of the fourth wave. They represent the second most common condition among adults aged 15–74. In total, 4,036 cases (vs. 3,647 cases in Week 50) were recorded (i.e., +11% vs. +3% in Week 50 and +14% in Week 49). Cases are rising among children under 2 years old (+65%, or +39 cases) and adults (+16%, or +454 cases) and declining among 2- to 14-year-olds (-16%). At the regional level, SOS Médecins medical cases for suspected COVID-19 are rising in most regions. The sharpest increases are observed in the Normandy region (+61%, or +107 procedures), the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region (+32%, or +39 procedures), and the Île-de-France region (+24%, or +138 procedures). A decrease in procedures is noted in four regions: Nouvelle-Aquitaine, Corsica, Centre-Val de Loire, and PACA.

Since surveillance began on March 3, 2020, 275,139 medical procedures for suspected COVID-19 have been performed. Among other indicators, an increase in procedures for influenza/flu-like syndrome (+17%, or +357 procedures) and pneumonia is observed across all age groups, except among 2- to 14-year-olds (+26%, or +131 procedures). The majority of indicators showing an increase are observed among adults aged 75 and older, for whom there is also a sharp rise in procedures related to digestive disorders (gastroenteritis, vomiting) and respiratory disorders (asthma, upper respiratory tract disorders, bronchitis). Among children, notable increases include those for isolated fever and diarrhea in children under 2 years of age (+25%, or +56 cases, and +23%, or +56 cases) and chickenpox in children under 15 years of age (+21%, or +101 cases).