- In Mayenne, in addition to seven identified clusters, the coronavirus is spreading among the population.
- After the launch of a massive screening campaign that will intensify, the mask is mandatory in enclosed spaces from this Thursday, authorities say.
The situation is "problematic", in the words of the Minister of Health Olivier Véran this Thursday. Rather spared during the peak of the coronavirus epidemic, the department of Mayenne is today affected by an "exponential" increase in the number of cases of Covid-19. So much so that the authorities launched this week "an action plan" to try to stop the spread of the virus in this department, the only one in mainland France to have been classified as "high vulnerability". What there is to know.
What is the epidemiological situation in Mayenne?
First, there were groupings of cases in an Ehpad, a school, but also in a home for young workers or in two slaughterhouses. Except that in Mayenne, the virus did not stop at these seven epidemic foci, identified by the Regional Health Agency. "We have observed cases in the population that were not directly linked to these clusters," explains Jean-Jacques Coiplet, the director of ARS. The number of new Covid-19 positive cases increased from 51 on June 20 to 80 on June 30, 145 on July 3, and then 219 on July 7. According to the latest report from the authorities, the department has 382 confirmed cases.
Other indicators are forcing "increased vigilance": the incidence rate is soaring and has risen above 50 cases per 100,000 inhabitants. The positivity rate is above 5.5%. And in Pays-de-la-Loire, the famous R0 reached 1.5 (against 1.2 at the national level), that is to say that each infected person transmits the virus to 1.5 others. We imagine that it is still much better in Mayenne, where the hospital system is far from saturation (two patients were in intensive care in Laval, and seven in conventional hospitalization, Wednesday). The white plan is however maintained there.
Where is the test campaign at?
These are all signals that prompted the authorities to start a "massive test" campaign on Monday. In addition to two laboratories, two screening centers were opened, in a Laval gymnasium and in a multipurpose room at L'Huisserie. In three days, 3,700 samples were taken but the results are not yet known. If the ARS welcomes the "adhesion" of the Mayennais, this figure considered "considerable" is still very far from the 300,000 inhabitants in the territory ... Next week, two new centers must open in the south and northwest of the department.
To encourage residents to get tested, a free act that takes place without an appointment and on a voluntary basis, the CPAM issues several thousand vouchers each day, sent by post or email. Vulnerable people, and those who live in the Laval agglomeration were given priority. If the authorities do not clearly admit it, the question arises of the human and material resources to carry out these tests. We know for example that the Angers and Nantes teaching hospitals are mobilized for the analyzes.
When is the mandatory mask?
Requested for several days by certain elected officials, the mask will be compulsory for people over 11 years old from this Thursday in six municipalities of the department, and this in all places open to the public. A decree to this effect has just been published. "It is an additional barrier measure," says Dr. Pierre Blaise, director of the regional health project at ARS. With screening and in the absence of a vaccine, these are the two main levers. Asked about the possibility of a reconfiguration in the department, the prefect of Mayenne, Jean-Francis Treffel indicated that it would be a "severe measure", which is at this stage "not in the spirits. "
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