French Covid case numbers highest in Brittany – and still rising

Côtes-d’Armor is currently the only French department with an infection rate of more than 2,000 per 100,000. Hospitalisations are not increasing in proportion, however

Covid infection numbers are rising in Brittany, with some departments approaching or exceeding 2,000 cases per 100,000 people
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Brittany is currently the region of France where Covid case numbers are highest, with Côtes-d’Armor being the only department in the country with an infection rate of more than 2,000 cases per 100,000 people.

This is the first time that a departmental infection rate has tipped back over the 2,000 per 100,000 threshold since the height of the Omicron-related wave at the start of this year.

Finistère is not far behind, with 1,980 cases per 100,000 residents.

Ille-et-Vilaine has a rate of 1,768.5 per 100,000 people and Morbihan is at 1.464.5 per 100,000, but the regional average is 1,801 cases per 100,000, having risen by 150% in less than a month.

On March 4, Brittany’s infection rate was 716 per 100,000, but more than doubled to 1,541 per 100,000 on March 25.

The national infection rate is currently 1,329 cases per 100,000, as of yesterday (March 29).

Read more: Covid rebound in France: how soon are people being reinfected?

Although case numbers are rising in Brittany, hospitalisations are not increasing at the same rate.

There were 536 people with Covid being treated in the region’s hospitals as of March 29 – up nine when compared to last week – and 39 in intensive care, marking a reduction of one.

Brittany’s regional health authority, the Agence régionale de santé, has not yet offered an explanation for the rise in case rates, but has encouraged people to continue wearing a mask, especially in crowded areas or around vulnerable people.

Elderly people and other eligible groups are also advised to book their fourth vaccine dose if they have not already done so.

It is also useful to air out rooms for ten minutes every hour.

If you believe that you might have Covid symptoms, it is always better to take a test.

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