Key Points

COVID-19

• In Week 7 in Normandy, following a period of decline and stabilization, epidemic surveillance indicators are on the rise. Incidence rates are rising in Seine-Maritime, Eure, and Calvados, with the positivity rate increasing only in Seine-Maritime and remaining stable in the other departments. The effective reproduction number, which reflects the rate of spread, is stable and remains below 1.

• The resurgence of the epidemic is not yet evident in hospitals. In fact, the number of new hospitalizations and the total number of people hospitalized for COVID-19 are decreasing. However, there is a time lag between the resurgence of the epidemic in the general population and its impact on hospitalizations. The number of people in intensive care remains stable.

• The initial effects of vaccination are becoming apparent, with a decline in epidemiological indicators among those aged 75 and older; as of February 23, vaccination coverage had reached 89.5% for the first dose and 65.4% for the second dose among nursing home residents.

• More transmissible variants are becoming predominant. In week 7, 49% of positive first-line tests (RT-PCR and antigen tests) recorded in SI-DEP were associated with a screening test (i.e., 2,799). Among these, 45% (1,274) corresponded to a suspected UK variant and 6% (162) to a suspected ZA or BR variant. Eure and Seine-Maritime had proportions of 71% and 43%, respectively, of suspected UK variants, Calvados 40%, Orne 37%, and Manche 21%. The proportion of suspected cases of the ZA or BR variants was 18% in Calvados, 13% in Manche, and less than 3% in the other departments.

Bronchiolitis and Gastroenteritis

In Week 7: activity at SOS-Médecins and in emergency departments for bronchiolitis is on the rise. Five new RSV cases were isolated in hospitalized patients by laboratories at Normandy university hospitals. Respiratory infections currently diagnosed are mainly due to rhinoviruses. Activity for acute gastroenteritis is also increasing at SOS-Médecins and in emergency departments. The incidence rate of acute diarrhea remains lower than in previous years during the same period.