In a drive-test in downtown Toulouse.

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F. Scheiber - Sipa

  • This Monday, the ARS Occitanie issued a warning: the epidemic figures are no longer falling in the region.

  • The most affected departments are Hautes-Pyrénées, Gers, Tarn and Lozère.

  • In fact, only the Pyrénées-Orientales are below the alert threshold.

"We are far from the goal".

This is in essence the message launched on Monday by the director general of the regional health agency in Occitanie.

"We must redouble our vigilance to prevent the epidemic from happening at the end of the year celebrations (...) and if we want to materialize the deconfinement calendar", insisted Pierre Ricordeau when delivering a new round of figures which show that “the downward trend has stopped”.

The curve has been flat for almost three weeks in the region, with an overall incidence rate of over 60 cases per 100,000 inhabitants when the alert threshold is set at 50. But there is more worrying: in some departments the rate of d The incidence is on the rise again over the past week.

This is the case of Hautes-Pyrénées (205.9), Lozère (173), Gers (140), Tarn (105.7).

In fact, the only department of Occitanie below the alert threshold is that of Pyrénées-Orientales (48.2).

ARS Occitanie figures, as of December 7, 2020. - ARS Occitanie

"The situation in nursing homes is still very serious," explains Pierre Ricordeau, with another hundred deaths recorded last week.

Our live on the epidemic

On the other hand, optimism prevails regarding hospital statistics.

Hospitalizations have fallen by 70% since the peak of this second wave reached five weeks ago, the number of Covid patients in intensive care has fallen by 35% in the space of a week.

There remain "only" 230 patients in intensive care in the region against 400 at the height of the wave.

But that doesn't stop health officials from worrying.

“A negative test does not provide any immunity, recalls Pierre Ricordeau, only compliance with preventive measures is able to do so”.

Thoughtful tests

The head of the ARS also does not call for systematic tests before holidays and family reunions.

But, it also does not rule out precautionary testing in a region where laboratories are no longer overwhelmed.

"Everyone must do the reasoning that corresponds to their situation and ask themselves if they took any risks in the previous days," he prescribed.

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