Thirty new cases in a week and a Covid-19 positivity rate well above average. For several weeks, the number of foci of contamination with coronavirus has been increasing in France: according to Public Health France the territory has 74 "under investigation" this Friday. One of them is of particular concern to the health authorities: that of Sarcelles, in Val-d'Oise.
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Six times more positive cases than the national average
And for good reason, we find in this municipality six times more positive cases (3%) than the national average (0.5%). So, the Ile-de-France Regional Health Agency (ARS) launched a reinforced screening campaign to "understand" the causes of this "over-incidence", explains Aurélien Rousseau, the director of ARS. "We have an obsession, it's not to miss an active circulation of the virus. We are trying to understand if we are facing a resumption of epidemic activity" or if the cases detected are linked to over-contamination " past ", he explains at the microphone of Europe 1.
But for the moment, there is nothing to indicate "if the epidemic is growing". In total, five virological screening operations are planned for Wednesday, notably in a shopping center and social hotels. Serological tests, allowing to date the date when the person had Covid-19, will also be offered.
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The reopening of certain public places suspended
In addition to the new test campaigns, several initiatives have been implemented with the municipality to remind people of the importance of barrier gestures, drawing on the leaders of religious communities in this city of 63,000 inhabitants. "We have brought these communities together to help get the message out that any gathering is a risk of the virus starting again." An operation which is not unique, since more than 80 operations of this type were carried out in the region during the last three weeks.
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A municipal decree was also issued to ask residents to wear the mask in shops, while the reopening of certain public places, originally scheduled for Monday, has been suspended. "Perhaps we will have to go further if we have elements that point us towards this or that situation. It may be measures that were already underway and that we reactivate, it may be measures to protect fragile audiences. "
And to warn: "Deconfinement is progressive, so we must constantly say that we can go towards the reversibility of the measures."