Key Points

• In Week 03 (January 18–24, 2021), SARS-CoV-2 transmission intensified in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes. While the testing rate declined slightly (-0.6%), the number of newly infected individuals rose by 10% and the positivity rate increased by 0.9 percentage points. Virological indicators in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes—incidence rate (228/100,000) and positivity rate (8.9%)—remain above the national average. The increase in the incidence rate in week 03 is observed only among people under 70 years of age, particularly among young people under 20 (+26%). In week 03, people over 90 years of age remain the most affected, with an incidence rate of 562 per 100,000.

• All departments in the region are experiencing an increase in the incidence rate, except for Savoie. Drôme, Haute-Loire, Ardèche, and Loire stand out with incidence rates exceeding 250 per 100,000, and for some of them (07, 26, and 43), positivity rates exceeding 10%.

• Early indicators of healthcare utilization are also trending upward. In primary care, the incidence rate of consultations for acute respiratory infections (ARI) estimated by the Sentinelles network and the number of SOS Médecins medical procedures for suspected COVID-19 are rising slightly. Similarly, the number of emergency room visits has increased by 10%.

• Week 03 marks a slowdown in the trend within long-term care facilities (ESMS) and hospitals. After two weeks of sharp increases, the number of new reports, cases, and deaths in ESMS is decreasing, with the notable exception of Drôme. In hospitals, the flow of new admissions appears to be stabilizing: +1% in new hospitalizations, +3% in new ICU admissions. The number of people currently hospitalized remains at a very high level, exceeding the peak in hospitalizations recorded in March 2020. Allier, Drôme, and Savoie had the highest hospitalization rates in the region during Week 03.

• A moderate excess mortality is observed compared to expected mortality in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes for all age groups, from week 53 (December 28 to January 3) to week 02 (January 11 to 17). The number of patients who died in the hospital increased by 12% in week 03.

• Against this backdrop of high SARS-CoV-2 circulation and the emergence of variants with increased transmissibility (1.6% of infections caused by the 20I/501Y.V1 in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, according to the results of the first Flash survey conducted on January 7 and 8), the adoption of preventive measures and contact restrictions for everyone must be reinforced to combat the epidemic.

• The vaccination campaign began in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes on January 4. As of January 26, 2021, 132,475 people had received one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine since the start of the campaign, representing 1.7% of the region’s total population.