The bronchiolitis epidemic is spreading. Twelve of the thirteen continental regions are currently in the epidemic phase. Only Corsica is saved, according to the weekly newsletter of Public Health France, published this Wednesday, November 22. Abroad, Guadeloupe, Martinique and Guyana are also affected by the epidemic.
In addition to the magnitude of this annual epidemic that mainly affects infants and babies, in the week of November 13 to 19, a “clear increase” in the number of cases was observed in “the city and the hospital.” During the week, 4,662 visits to the emergency room by children under two years of age were recorded and 1,423 were hospitalized, of which 1,331 were under one year of age. 23 children under two years of age and 22 under one year of age were also admitted to intensive care.
In community medicine, of the 7,625 SOS Médicos trips for children under two years of age, 772 were related to bronchiolitis.
Hospitalizations lower than last year
The previous week, from November 6 to 12, the epidemic was “declining or stable.” A situation that, however, could be explained by the school holiday period.
Bronchiolitis, mainly caused by respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), causes breathing difficulties in babies. It is generally not serious, but it can lead to emergency room visits and hospitalizations.
Last year, it was the cause of an unprecedented epidemic in more than ten years, which sent tens of thousands of children to the hospital. The current level of hospitalizations is still lower than last year, but it is too early to draw conclusions about the magnitude of the epidemic.
One of the big doubts is the effect that a new preventive treatment, Beyfortus from Sanofi, will have. Initially offered to all babies born from February onwards, it is currently reserved for maternity hospitals, pending new stock. The Minister of Health, Aurélien Rousseau, announced on Sunday in Le Monde the order for 50,000 new doses from Sanofi.
Source: BFM TV
