Key Points

The trend of the epidemic in the region during week 53 of 2020 remains concerning, with viral circulation well above the threshold for active virus circulation—set at 50 new cases per 100,000—across all age groups. Just over half (57%) of new cases tested in week 53 of 2020 are under 50 years of age, and 30% are between 20 and 39 years old.

In week 53 of 2020, viral circulation is on the rise in seven departments: Aube (173 cases per 100,000 inhabitants), Marne (209 cases per 100,000 inhabitants), Haute-Marne (278 cases per 100,000 inhabitants), Moselle (237 cases per 100,000 inhabitants), Bas-Rhin (200 cases per 100,000 inhabitants), Haut-Rhin (225 cases per 100,000 inhabitants), and Vosges (236 cases per 100,000 inhabitants). It remains stable, but at a high level, in three departments: the Ardennes (285 cases per 100,000 inhabitants), Meurthe-et-Moselle (257 cases per 100,000 inhabitants), and Meuse (262 cases per 100,000 inhabitants). The heavy strain on the healthcare system continued in week 53 of 2020, for the third consecutive week. The number of consultations for suspected COVID-19 at the region’s five SOS Médecins associations saw a sharper increase than the previous week (+23%). The number of emergency room visits for suspected COVID-19 in the region’s emergency facilities remains high (n=765); the proportion of activity in emergency departments remains stable, at around 4%. Although the trend varies by department, activity remains high, particularly in the departments of Moselle, Meurthe-et-Moselle, Haut-Rhin, and Marne, where activity has been steadily increasing for several weeks. The numbers of new hospitalizations (n=1,074), new admissions to intensive care units for COVID-19 (n=168), and COVID-19-related deaths in healthcare facilities (n=290) are stable compared to the previous week (down 3%, up 2%, and up 5%, respectively).

In social and medical-social care facilities, 6,971 confirmed cases of Covid-19 have been reported among residents and 3,281 among staff since September 1. Nursing homes for the elderly are the hardest hit by the pandemic, accounting for 83% (5,810) of these cases among residents and 79% (2,602) among staff. As of January 6, 879 clusters or outbreaks have been identified in the region since November 1, of which 612 are under investigation or under control. Following a decrease in the number of new infections in week 52 of 2020, the level of viral circulation remains very high and is now rising again, regardless of the region’s territories and age groups.