Covid-19 is once again becoming a concern as winter approaches. Wednesday November 22, the national public health agency France (SPF) published its latest newsletter regarding acute respiratory infections. Among the pathologies monitored, the organization attached to the Ministry of Health focuses in particular on the evolution of Covid-19 over the last week. The bulletin thus notes an “increasing trend […] in community medicine” of care linked to Covid, and “a general increase” in the circulation of SARS-CoV-2 which causes the disease.
Public Health France relies more precisely on the week of November 13 to 19, 2023. In terms of medical care at the national level for cases linked to Covid-19 disease, the figures remain quite low for the moment: this represents approximately 3% of SOS Médecins medical procedures and 2% of hospitalizations, compared to 15% and 9% the same week for the flu.
The eastern half of France remains a little more affected by an increase in the emergency room rate, while Ile-de-France is currently the least impacted metropolitan region. The trend is nevertheless on the rise again after a decline in recent weeks, particularly in cities, where “those aged 15-64 and those aged 65 and over” are mainly concerned, specifies the bulletin.
On the other hand, Public Health France notes a notable increase in indicators linked to the circulation of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which causes the Covid-19 disease. The bulletin reports 18,976 new cases detected after laboratory tests for the week of November 13 to 19, with a positivity rate of 22.7%. SPF also specifies that “the positivity rate of the tests carried out [par des cabinets de médecins] and in hospital was increasing” during this period: 25.4% (+8.7%) of positive cases for community medicine, and 15.3% (+1.8%) for hospitals A trend which this time concerns “most age groups”, and especially the Grand Est region when the number of tests is compared to the number of inhabitants of each region.
A triple epidemic during the winter?
This phenomenon is mainly linked to the season. With the arrival of winter, the drop in temperatures favors the spread of Covid-19. Problem: this is also the case for other respiratory illnesses such as bronchiolitis and the flu. Moreover, Public Health France notes in the same bulletin of November 22 an increase in cases of these two diseases.
She notes a continuation of the bronchiolitis epidemic almost everywhere in France, with a “further increase in activity among children under two years old in town and in hospital”, despite a decrease linked to holidays. Although there is no national flu alert yet, SPF still notes an epidemic in Mayotte and an end-of-epidemic phase in Reunion.
Overall, the Covid-19 situation in France is therefore not yet critical. But if we compare it to other years, the end of November mainly corresponds to a trough in the wave, before a more significant rise by the end of the year. Reason why Public Health France calls for caution. “In this epidemiological context, it is necessary to be particularly vigilant and to apply barrier measures,” specifies the bulletin. The agency especially asks elderly people to be vaccinated to avoid clusters in medical and social establishments.