Press conference this morning at the Departmental Administrative Center of the Alpes-Maritimes. Present were Benoit Huber, chief of staff for the prefect, Michèle Guez from the ARS, and Professor Gilles Guérin, a member of the Scientific Council, who outlined the characteristics of the epidemic situation related to Covid-19 and provided the latest statistics on the epidemic.
The incidence rate has increased by 3 points in one week. For the period from October 18 to 24, it was 59 positive cases per 100,000 inhabitants in the Alpes-Maritimes. On October 26, the reported figures show 62 cases per 100,000 inhabitants.
The national average for this indicator is 48, whereas the PACA region indicates 72 cases per 100,000 inhabitants.
The test positivity rate is 1.5% in the Alpes-Maritimes, while it stands at 1.7% on both regional and national levels.
As of October 20, 10 people were in intensive care units in the Alpes-Maritimes department. On the same date, 27 Covid patients were in conventional hospitalization. Let it be recalled that during the 4th wave, a peak of 200 hospitalizations had been reached in the department.
The azure hospital structures are not experiencing any particular tension related to Covid.
Professor Guérin continued to encourage vaccination, including for the elderly as not all are vaccinated. One-third of the eligible Maralpine population has already received the 3rd dose.
Furthermore, 93% of the department’s residents have a complete vaccination scheme, while only 84% of the French population does.
Professor Guérin warned that “there will not only be Covid this winter” with the arrival of the seasonal flu. Approximately 5,000 people die each year, or almost, from this disease. The Scientific Council member indicated that it is possible to get both vaccines, with one protecting against severe forms of Covid or the flu.
