Key Points

COVID-19

• In Occitanie, according to data available as of May 12, 2022, for week 18 of 2022, virological indicators continued to decline: a positivity rate of 19.7% (compared to 23.5% in week 17 of 2022, a decrease of 3.8 percentage points), incidence rate of 359 cases per 100,000 inhabitants (compared to 557 in week 17 of 2022, a decrease of 36%) and a testing rate of 1,820 per 100,000 inhabitants compared to 2,373 in week 17 of 2022, a decrease of 23%. At the regional level, this trend was observed across all age groups, with the exception of positivity rates, which were increasing among those under 20.

• The R-value estimated from regional SI-DEP data through May 7, 2022, was 0.63 (0.62–0.64), a slight decrease compared to the previous week (0.67).

• At the departmental level, an incidence rate exceeding 300 cases per 100,000 inhabitants was estimated for week 18 of 2022 in all departments, with the highest value estimated in Ariège at 427 cases per 100,000 inhabitants. Virological indicators were decreasing in all departments (Table 4) except for positivity rates among those under 20, which were increasing.

• Overall, in week 18 of 2022, a continued decline in viral circulation was observed in all departments of Occitanie. However, an increase in the positivity rate among those under 20 should be noted.

Influenza and influenza-like illness

• After 20 weeks of the epidemic, the region entered the post-epidemic phase in week 18-2022. The season was characterized by an exceptionally long duration and two epidemic waves, in late December and late March, separated by a plateau. The first wave particularly affected children. Compared to previous years (before 2020), fewer severe cases requiring intensive care were reported. The circulating viruses were almost exclusively type A, with co-circulation of A(H1N1)pdm09 and A(H3N2).

Acute Gastroenteritis

• In hospital settings, according to data reported by emergency departments to the Oscour® network, gastroenteritis activity was low in week 18 of 2022. Visits for gastroenteritis across all age groups were down compared to the previous week. In week 18 of 2022, 259 visits for gastroenteritis were recorded (including 117 patients under 5 years of age), representing 0.9% of all visits (327 visits in week 17, including 168 under 5 years of age).

• In private practice, according to data from the SOS Médecins associations in Nîmes, Montpellier, and Perpignan (SOS Toulouse excluded from the analysis due to missing data since 02/16), gastroenteritis activity was low in week 18 of 2022 (Figure 12). Procedures for gastroenteritis diagnoses across all age groups were stable compared to the previous week and decreased among children under 5 years of age. In week 18, 103 procedures for this diagnosis were recorded (including 14 in children under 5 years of age), representing 5.2% of the overall activity of the SOS Médecins associations (101 procedures in week 17).

• According to data from the Sentinelles network, the incidence rate of acute diarrhea cases seen in general practice was 34 per 100,000 [9; 59], down from the previous week (55 per 100,000).