2023-08-15 13:57:09
The Covid-19 pandemic may no longer be considered a global “health emergency” since the beginning of May, but the virus has not disappeared. THE update published on Friday August 11 by Santé Publique France felt like a booster shot. Between the end of July and the beginning of August, the agency attached to the Ministry of Health notes a “slight increase in the indicators”, although they remain “at low levels”. Thus, the number of cases of laboratory-confirmed infections increased by 24.6% between the week of July 24 to 30 and that of July 31 to August 6.
Figures that particularly affect “40-49 year olds”, note the health authorities, even if the increase concerns all age groups. If this resurgence of Covid-19 is therefore national, it nevertheless affects certain regions and their hospitals more severely.
The south of France more affected… for the moment
Of the thirteen French regions, five of them concentrate the majority of confirmed cases of Covid. During the week of July 31 to August 6, there were 789 cases in New Aquitaine, 730 in Occitanie, 689 in Ile-de-France, 638 in Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur and 541 Auvergne-Rhône- Alps.
However, this number only includes people who tested positive for Covid-19, without being able to count those affected without knowing it or those who preferred not to be tested. To complete this indicator, Santé Publique France also provides access to the number of visits to the emergency room for suspected Covid-19 by regions.
This map compiled by L’Express shows it: the resurgence of Covid-19 is concentrated in the four southern regions as well as in Ile-de-France. The increase in cases therefore seems to automatically cause more visits to hospitals linked to Covid-19, although Ile-de-France and the Paca region are this time in second and third position among the most affected regions.
In addition, certain geographical areas less affected for the moment are currently facing a rapid increase in the number of hospital visits linked to Covid-19: +210% in Pays-de-la-Loire, +71% in Normandy, or even +67% in Bourgogne-Franche-Comté compared to the previous week. Finally, nationally, there are 712 cases for the last week of July against 928 for the first of August. Datas confirmed by the Coordinated Emergency Surveillance Organization (Oscour).
A resurgence linked to ferias and tourism
Mainly observable in the departments of Landes and Pyrénées-Atlantiques, this small wave of infections could, according to Santé Publique France, “be explained mainly by the large gathering that took place in Bayonne (Fêtes de Bayonne, from July 26 to 30) , and other similar local summer festivals”. The population density caused by the ferias and other summer celebrations could indeed have “favoured the transmission” of the virus, according to the health authorities.
Another explanation: the increase in the number of confirmed cases in the southern part of the country could also be explained by their status as “very busy vacation regions”, analyzes Public Health France. A cause which would also explain the infections and passages in emergencies in Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur and Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes.
Active circulation phenomena which nevertheless remain “localized” and “which will not necessarily result in significant waves” tempers Public Health France. The Ministry of Health calls despite everything to remain vigilant: since this trend is partly linked to summer holidays and tourism, it could just as well slow down or on the contrary continue when returning to work and back to school.
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