Key Points

In Week 6 (February 8–14, 2021), community transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes remains high but continues the slow decline observed the previous week. In the region, 14,704 new cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection were identified in Week 6. The testing rate and incidence rate decreased by 12% and 14%, respectively, while the positivity rate remained largely unchanged at 7.0% in Week 6 and remained higher than the national rate (5.9%). Indicators of viral circulation are highest in Ardèche, Ain, Drôme, and Rhône, though with limited variation between departments.

The impact on hospitals remains significant, notably with a 9% increase in COVID-19 hospitalizations in intensive care units and a 13% increase in hospital deaths among patients with COVID-19. However, the numbers of new hospitalizations and emergency room visits for suspected COVID-19 are decreasing, by 8% and 13%, respectively. Hospitalization rates are declining in all departments except Ain and Savoie; the highest rates are observed in Ardèche, Drôme, Isère, Haute-Loire, and Rhône.

In week 06, 56.9% of positive first-line tests in the region underwent a second PCR screening test, allowing for a strong presumption of the presence of a variant. In Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes during week 06, 29.2% of confirmed cases tested for the presence of a variant corresponded to a suspected 20I/501Y.V1 variant (emerged in the United Kingdom, 37% in France) and 2.7% were suspected to be the 20H/501Y.V2 or 20J/501Y.V3 variants (emerging in South Africa and Brazil, respectively; 5% in France). There is significant variation between departments.

The number of cases reported to the ESMS has decreased at the regional level. SOS Médecins calls for suspected COVID-19 cases are down slightly (-9%). A significant excess of all-cause mortality at a moderate level is still observed in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes in week 04 (estimated at +24%) and in week 05.

As of February 16, 279,564 people had been vaccinated against COVID-19 (at least one dose) since the start of the vaccination campaign in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes (representing 3.5% of the total regional population), including 51,582 residents in nursing homes or long-term care facilities (65% of them, +7 percentage points), 15,724 staff members at these facilities (25.1% of them, up 4.1 percentage points), and finally, overall, 22.8% of those aged 75 and older.