Summary

In week 45 (November 2–8, 2020), total activity at SOS Médecins clinics increased among children aged 2–14 (+18%, or +1,401 visits), while it decreased among children under 2 (-15%, or -693 visits) and adults (-5%, or -2,478 visits). In week 45, there was a decrease in medical procedures for suspected COVID-19 after five consecutive weeks of increases. This decline was observed across all age groups (notably -22% among those aged 15–74 and -19% among those aged 75 and older), except among children aged 2–14, where a 57% increase (equivalent to 198 additional cases) was observed, likely linked to the return to school following the All Saints’ Day break. Suspected COVID-19 remains the most common diagnosis among adults and the third most common among 2- to 14-year-olds. In total, 6,269 cases were recorded (vs. 7,655 cases in week 44, a decrease of 18% or 1,386 cases). The share of total activity across all age groups is also down to 10.9% (vs. 12.9% in week 44). This decline, observed in all regions, is most pronounced in Île-de-France (-25%, or -375 cases), Hauts-de-France (-22%, or -172 cases), Grand-Est (-22%, or -123 cases). Since the start of surveillance, 141,525 tests for suspected COVID-19 have been performed. Among other conditions, there has been a decline in tests for seasonal respiratory illnesses, including bronchiolitis. These figures are lower than in the same period of the two preceding years. However, there were increases in cases of isolated fever (+25%, or +121 visits), gastroenteritis (+34%, or +201 visits), trauma (+47%, or +154 visits), viral syndrome (+34%, or +77 cases) among children, linked to the return to school, and for anxiety (+8%, or +89 cases) among adults.