The Covid-19 situation in 20 French departments is being closely monitored with a view to introducing stricter measures, such as a weekend lockdown, as is being brought in in the Alpes-Maritimes and Dunkirk, Prime Minister Jean Castex announced yesterday (February 25).
A decision will be made next week.
It concerns departments in the North, Ile-de-France, East and South-east of the country.
The departments are: Alpes-Maritimes, Bouches-du-Rhône, Drôme, Eure-et-Loir, Meurth-et-Moselle, Moselle, Nord, Oise, Pas-de-Calais, Rhône, Paris, Seine-et-Marne, Yvelines, Somme, Var, Essonne, Hauts-de-Seine, Seine-Saint-Denis, Val-de-Marne and Val-d’Oise
Covid-19 statistics on a national level as of February 26, 2021:
- Incidence rate (number of people who have tested positive for Covid-19 per 100,000 inhabitants): 214.2
- Percentage of beds occupied in intensive care wards due to Covid-19: 67.8%
- Rate of positive tests (the number of positive tests compared to the total number of tests over the past seven days): 6.9%
*Note: all data supplied byCovidTracker.fr, which uses official numbers communicated by the French Ministry of Health.
Alpes-Maritimes
The prefect of the Alpes-Maritimes announced on Monday (February 22) new measures to contain the spread of Covid-19, including a lockdown for the next two weekends starting from tomorrow (February 27) along the coastal communes, including Nice and Cannes.
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In this department, the incidence rate (623) is the highest in metropolitan France, and the rate of positive tests is 10.1%.
The number of people hospitalised (721) due to Covid-19 is significantly above the peak of the first wave in Spring 2020 and has never declined after the second lockdown, introduced in October 2020. In intensive care, 133% of the beds present before the pandemic are occupied.
Bouches-du-Rhône
The incidence rate in one of Alpes-Maritimes’ near neighbours is 335. This is still far higher than the national average of 214.2.
The rate of positive tests is, though, lower than the national average at 6.3%. In intensive care units, 91% of the beds present before the pandemic are occupied.
The number of people in hospital for Covid-19 is steadily declining, as is the daily number of deaths due to Covid-19.
Drôme
Also in the south-east of the country, the incidence rate is steadily increasing. It stood at 218 last week and has now climbed to 231, slightly above the national average.
More worryingly, the rate of positive tests is 9.5%, close to the figure in the Alpes-Maritimes, where extra measures have already been taken.
The intensive care units are also under pressure with 142% of the beds present before the pandemic now occupied.
The number of hospitalisations linked to Covid-19 is also increasing.
Eure-et-Loir
The number of daily Covid-19 cases has sharply risen since the middle of February. The incidence rate now stands at 230.
The rate of positive tests is also higher than the national average, at 7.4%. The number of hospitalisations is also steadily rising.
In intensive care units, 115% of the beds present before the pandemic are now occupied.
Meurth-et-Moselle
This is one of the least affected departments of the 20.
The number of positive Covid-19 cases has been slowly rising but the incidence rate is similar to the national average, at 205.
The rate of positive tests is 4.7%, quite a bit below the national average. In intensive care units, 65% of beds present before the pandemic are now occupied.
The number of people hospitalised due to Covid-19 has been decreasing since the end of January.
Moselle
In neighbouring Moselle, the incidence rate is now 309 and the rate of positive tests 5.1%.
The number of people hospitalised with Covid-19 has remained level since November 2020, at around 550 people.
In intensive care units, 100% of the beds present before the pandemic are now occupied.
Nord
For the next two weeks a weekend lockdown will be in place in the city of Dunkirk and its surrounding area.
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More generally in the department the incidence rate is 322 and the rate of positive cases is 7.2%, both figures higher than the national averages.
The number of daily positive Covid-19 cases and hospitalisations due to Covid-19 has been steadily increasing in the past weeks.
In intensive care units, 65% of the beds present before the pandemic are now occupied.
Oise
In Oise, the number of people being admitted to intensive care units due to Covid-19 is increasing. 47 beds are now occupied by Covid patients and overall 131% of beds present before the pandemic are now occupied.
The incidence rate is 276 and the rate of positive tests is 8.1%, both higher than the national averages.
Pas-de-Calais
The number of patients in intensive care units in Pas-de-Calais has almost reached the same level as during Spring 2020 and November 2020, when national lockdowns were in place. Currently, there are 117 patients admitted due to Covid-19 and the number has been rising since the beginning of February.
Overall, 138% of intensive care units beds present before the pandemic are now occupied.
The incidence rate is 372 and the rate of positive tests is 8.3%.
Rhône
The incidence rate in Rhône is higher than the national average at 228, as is the rate of positive tests, at 7.7%.
In intensive care units, 79% of the beds present before the pandemic are now occupied.
Paris
The incidence rate in the capital has been climbing steadily. It has gone from 143 on December 27 to 318 today.
The rate of positive tests, though, is lower than the national average at 5%.
The high number of cases is also not putting too much pressure on intensive care units. Just 57% of the beds present before the pandemic are now occupied.
Seine-et-Marne
The number of daily cases has been increasing since the beginning of January and the incidence rate is now 309. The rate of positive tests is also higher than the national average at 8.9%.
In intensive care units, 101% of the beds present before the pandemic are now occupied.
The number of people in hospital due to Covid-19 has remained steady since around the middle of December and stands at 420 today.
Yvelines
The number of cases is rising but the number of people in hospital and in intensive care units has been steadily dropping in recent weeks.
The incidence rate is 267 and the rate of positive tests is 7%, both higher than the national averages.
In intensive care units, only 50% of the beds present before the pandemic are now occupied.
Somme
In the Somme, the number of daily cases, the number of people being admitted to hospital and intensive care units has been increasing in recent weeks.
The incidence rate is 310 and the rate of positive tests is 7.8%.
In intensive care units, 72% of the beds present before the pandemic are now occupied.
Var
Var is the next-door neighbour of the Alpes-Maritimes, the worst-affected department in metropolitan France.
Here, the incidence rate is 316 and the rate of positive tests is 7%, lower than its neighbour but higher than the national averages.
In intensive care units, 110% of the beds present before the pandemic are now occupied.
Essonne
Here, the number of daily cases is increasing but the number of people in hospital due to Covid-19 and the number of people in intensive care units due to Covid-19 has been quite steady.
The incidence rate is 280 and the rate of positive tests is 8.2%.
In intensive care units, 79% of the beds present before the pandemic are now occupied.
Hauts-de-Seine
The incidence rate is 260, above the national average, and the rate of positive tests is 5.5%, below the national average.
In intensive care units, 76% of the beds present before the pandemic are now occupied.
Seine-Saint-Denis
This department is one of the worst affected currently.
The incidence rate is 344 and the rate of positive tests is almost as high as in the Alpes-Maritimes, at 9.9%.
The number of daily Covid-19 cases has shot up in recent weeks.
In intensive care units, 101% of the beds present before the pandemic are now occupied.
Val-de-Marne
The number of daily positive Covid-19 cases has been steadily rising since the New Year. The incidence rate is 320 and the rate of positive tests is 8.2%.
This has not yet caused increased pressure on intensive care units.
There, 59% of the beds present before the pandemic are now occupied. However, the number of people being admitted to the intensive care wards due to Covid-19 is increasing.
Val-d’Oise
The number of daily reported Covid-19 cases has been increasing in recent weeks but the number of hospitalisations due to Covid-19 and the number of people being admitted to intensive care units has remained steady.
The incidence rate is 306 and the rates of positive cases is 8.7%.
In intensive care units, 77% of the beds present before the pandemic are now occupied.
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