Key Points

• In Week 30 (July 26–August 1, 2021), SARS-CoV-2 transmission continued to rise in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, though at a slower pace than in recent weeks. The regional incidence rate increased by 16% to 203 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, slightly below the national incidence rate (225/100,000). The virus is circulating primarily among people aged 15–44 but is spreading across all age groups, particularly among the elderly. The regional positivity rate has stabilized at 4.2%. The testing rate has increased by 17%. The departments of Rhône, Savoie, and Haute-Savoie have the highest incidence rates in the region, exceeding 250 per 100,000. Cantal, which has the lowest incidence rate in the region, has now exceeded the alert threshold of 50 per 100,000.

• The increase in indicators is also confirmed for primary care visits (procedures performed by SOS-Médecins associations and emergency room visits), though at a more moderate rate than in week 29.

• It is also evident in long-term care facilities, which reported 43 new outbreaks involving one or more confirmed cases of COVID-19 between weeks 26 and 30, and where the number of cases is higher among staff than among residents.

• Finally, this trend is confirmed in hospitals, with a sharp increase in new hospitalizations (+119%), admissions to intensive care (+248%), and deaths (+100%).

• Vaccination coverage continues to increase at the regional level, particularly among those under 50. As of August 3, 2021, 65% of the total regional population has received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine since the start of the campaign, and 54% of the population has received a full vaccination series.

• Against a backdrop of a significant increase in viral circulation, widespread transmission of the Delta variant, and summer vacations, vaccination of all eligible individuals—particularly those in contact with vulnerable people—must be strongly encouraged to achieve sufficient herd immunity and prevent further strain on hospitals. This must be combined with strict adherence to other preventive measures, including the observance of protective measures, limiting high-risk contacts, and self-isolation in the event of symptoms, a confirmed infection, or contact with a confirmed case.