More than a month since the circulation of the virus finally experienced a decline. But since the health vice was loosened two weeks ago, the number of contaminations has started to rise again. And dramatically.
In nearly 15 days, the incidence rates have practically doubled across our departments: from 492 cases per 100,000 inhabitants to 939 in Ain, from 576 to 1,142 in Jura, from 330 to 632 in Loire, from 436 to 786 in Haute-Loire and from 438 to 859 in the Rhône.
Figures which, for the moment, remain below the national average (1,230 cases/100,000 inhabitants).
Every day between March 20 and 24, around 5,000 people, on average, tested positive.
The fault of the sub-variant of Omicron, the BA.2 (it has become the majority) much more contagious than the Delta but much less carrying a bad prognosis than the latter. And the relaxation of barrier gestures.
Hospitalizations are down
In fact, in one week, the number of hospitalizations decreased more or less markedly. In this game, it is the Loire (with the second lowest incidence rate in France) which records the most significant drop with 46 fewer patients.
Proportionally, it is the Rhône which experienced a lesser reduction with a drop of -5 hospitalizations.
But generally, this factor, coupled with the decline in critical care coverage (except in the Jura), remains encouraging.
While the primary vaccinations (from 73.5% in Ain to 77.3% in Haute-Loire) and the injection of the 3rd dose (52.8% in Ain to 56.7% in Jura) are stagnating, the vaccine barrier still seems to be holding up against the explosion of serious cases.
The question that remains unanswered is the duration of this epidemic rebound. Experts predict a peak for early April.
But if it were to last? What if a new, more virulent variant appears?
For now, the messages are not alarmist. But respect for barrier gestures, in particular maintaining the wearing of a mask indoors, is more than ever recommended.
A fortiori for people at risk and those who are not vaccinated, more likely to develop a serious form of the disease.
Because the Covid-19 continues to kill. In one week, 29 people lost their lives: 2 in Ain, 2 in Jura, 4 in Loire, 4 in Loire and 17 in Rhône.
From Ain to Haute-Loire via Jura, Rhône and Loire, more than 2,882,000 people have had a complete vaccination course.