Key Points

COVID-19

• At the regional level:

  • viral circulation continues to rise in the BFC for the fifth consecutive week, mirroring the trend observed nationwide;

  • the regional positivity rate has reached 3.4%, and the adjusted testing rate is rising again (2,722, or +13% compared to Week 1) following a decline observed since Week 42 (with testing no longer covered by insurance since October 15 and school holidays).

• At the departmental level: the adjusted incidence rate is rising in all departments and is now above the alert threshold (50 per 100,000 inhabitants) across the entire region. The positivity rate is increasing in all departments, with the exception of Jura. This department, whose incidence rate had risen earlier, now shows the smallest increase (+8% vs. at least 20% for the other departments).

This situation is summarized by the estimated effective reproduction number (R_e) in the BFC, calculated using SIDEP data (with a 7-day moving window), which is significantly greater than 1 in S45: 1.29 (1.24–1.39).

Winter Epidemics

• Influenza: Activity at SOS Médecins and regional emergency departments related to influenza remains low and stable, consistent with trends from the previous two seasons. No severe cases of influenza have been reported by the 8 sentinel intensive care units.

• Bronchiolitis:

  • activity at SOS Médecins clinics is rising again this week, remaining above the levels observed in the previous two seasons;

  • activity in emergency departments appears to be stabilizing but remains higher than that observed during the same period in the two previous seasons.

• Acute gastroenteritis: The percentage of consultations for gastroenteritis at SOS Médecins clinics increased slightly this week, as did the rate of emergency department visits for gastroenteritis. Activity is above the levels observed during the same period in the two previous seasons.