The epidemic is starting again in metropolitan France. Public health France has published its weekly epidemiological update for the 29th week of the epidemic and several factors suggest a comeback of the Covid-19.
First of all the number of people infected is up from the previous week. It went from 2,832 to 3.589, an increase of 27%. The incidence rate now stands at 5.5 cases per 100,000 inhabitants against 4.4 cases last week, still in mainland France.
This figure is very close to that of the 11th week of the epidemic, the week of March 15, at the containment eve. The number of confirmed cases was then 6,378 according to Public Health France, while the previous week it was only 949.
The current incidence rate is starting to increase again among seniors. After weeks of decline, the number of infected people aged 75 and over is starting to increase again. For other age groups, this rate continues to rise.
Other threatening factors
The reproduction rate or R0, a major indicator of the size of the epidemic, continues to grow. It remains above 1, more precisely at 1,29 in mainland France according to virological data from Public Health France. The R0 in metropolitan France now exceeds that of Mayotte, estimated at 1.22.
This reproduction rate is intended toestimate the number of people infected by an affected person. Thus, if it is equal to two, the patient will spread the virus to two other people, for example.
The number of epidemic outbreaks remains stable in metropolitan France, rising to 424 July 22. What fits in the figures given by Olivier Véran on July 20. However ten new clusters appeared in less than 24 hours this Friday, July 24.
The evolution of screening remains an important data to estimate the presence of the virus among the French. This week, 344,357 people performed a PCR test, among these 4.937 were declared positive to Covid-19, which represents 487 more cases than last week.
Increasingly in demand for healthcare professionals
The increase in SOS doctors’ interventions for suspected coronavirus has been increasing for 4 weeks. They are intervened 3,163 times this week, therefore 824 additional interventions.
The name of emergency room visits for suspected Covid-19 also increases. This week it stands at 1,914, against 1,515 the previous week, i.e. an increase of about 26%.
On the other hand, the rate of hospitalization after going to the emergency room is down, falling to 26% against 32% previously.
For its part, the weekly number of new intensive care admissions has stopped falling for two weeks, it even increases slightly. It is estimated at 83 this week against 78 previously.
