Key Points

In Week 41 (October 11–17, 2021), total activity at SOS Médecins clinics remained significantly higher among children (+9%, or 2,422 visits) and moderately higher among adults (+3%, or 1,414 visits).

Procedures for suspected COVID-19 cases showed a moderate increase of 4% after several consecutive weeks of decline (779 procedures in Week 41 vs. 752, or +27 procedures in Week 40). This increase mainly affected those aged 15–74 (+6%, or +34 procedures), while a stabilization was observed in other age groups. Regionally, an increase in procedures was observed in 9 regions (low numbers); the most significant increases were observed in Grand-Est (+59%, or +27 procedures), Hauts-de-France (+113%, or +34 procedures), Nouvelle-Aquitaine (+32%, or +28 procedures), and Occitanie (+37%, or +13 procedures).

Since monitoring began on March 3, 2020, 250,521 medical procedures for suspected COVID-19 have been performed.

All seasonal indicators are on the rise, most notably among children, for respiratory and gastrointestinal conditions, with the following highlights: a continued increase in procedures for:

• bronchiolitis in children under 2 years of age (+30%, or +105 cases), with earlier and more intense activity than in previous years,

• bronchitis (+42% in children under 2 years old, +30% in children aged 2–14), viral syndrome (+33% in children under 2 years old, +12% in children aged 2–14)

• vomiting (+33% among 2- to 14-year-olds) and gastroenteritis (+19% among children under 2, +14% among 2- to 14-year-olds).

Among those aged 75 and older, there was a notable increase in procedures related to death (+20%) and bronchitis (+18%). Also worth noting is an increase in procedures for influenza/influenza-like illness (+18%, or +48 procedures) among adults.