Covid in Occitania: falling figures, large disparities between departments, update on tests

Pierre Remembereau, Director General of the Regional Health Agency, gave an update on health in the Occitania region on Friday 20 November.

The health point in Occitania

Epidemiological situation: for Pierre Rocordeau, “childbirth, and before the curfew, produced the first effects with a drop in pressure on the hospital system. In particular, new hospitalizations: less than 30% in a week. There is a very slight birth in intensive care. Occitania is still in a phase of severe epidemic “.

Numbers. The incidence rate has dropped to 150 cases per 100,000 inhabitants. The reproduction rate has dropped below 1.

210 clusters are in progress. Almost a quarter of nursing homes are affected by Covid-19.

Disparity in the region. The level of contamination remains high in Occitania with many disparities in the region.

The departments most affected are Gard, Lozère, Hautes-Pyrénées with still very high positivity rates, above 15%. On the contrary, we find rates below 10% in Ariège, Aude, Pyrénées-Orientales. On average, the rate is 13% in Occitania. We are still a long way from the exit figures for the first confinement.

For Pierre Remembereau “the situation is improving in all the departments of the region. But there are areas where the levels reached have been extremely high. The departments closest to Auvergne Rhône-Alpes started from further away. Such as Lozère and Gard. Hautes-Pyrénées maintain a high rate. This department has long been spared and it is no longer the case. It was only contaminated later. In Gard, the agglomeration of Nîmes was affected earlier than that of Alès which is now more degraded. Same what in the Hérault: the metropolis of Montpellier was hit for the first time well before Béziers and Sète “.

“We are not out of the epidemic. We are in the middle of the road,” said Pierre Remembereau.

Testing the policy in the region

Pascal Durand, head of testing policy, provides an update on the testing policy in Occitania.

About test the PCR, “extremely important” efforts have been made by the laboratories. “We have gone from 30,000 to over 180,000 per week. Since the end of August, 1,600,000 tests have been carried out.”

New tool, antigenic tests help strengthen screening. The results can be viewed on average in 15 minutes. Liberal pharmacists, doctors, and nurses perform these rapid tests. More than 800,000 antigen tests are made available by the ARS in nursing homes, firefighters, national education staff, etc.

Both tests are available free to patients.

Which test in which situation? If I have symptoms for more than 4 days, I run the PCR test. Less than 4 days, I have the choice between the two tests. If I have no symptoms, I am a contact or part of a cluster, I run the PCR test.

Positive result: I isolate myself and contact my doctor. Negative result: I respect the barrier gestures. in case of symptoms, in addition to the antigen test, I perform a PRC test.

Where to take the test? Antigen tests can be performed during a consultation. Outside the offices, some pharmacies sometimes offer them in barns at the entrance to the pharmacies. Specific places without an appointment are available in some municipalities.

Serological tests (blood tests) are always accessible. They show if you have been infected in the past and if there are traces of the virus in your blood. As for saliva test, are under development. “The innovations will continue in the months to come,” predicts Pierre Remembereau, director general of ARS.

Ehpad. In nursing homes, ARS organizes PCR screening of staff and patients from the first case. This device is maintained. ARS must provide antigen tests to all nursing homes.

National education. 100,000 tests will be delivered to 13 points in the region, in each department. National education will be targeted at priority schools. School nurses and doctors, firefighters and other health professionals will be mobilized.