Circulation of the flu in much of French territory. The seasonal flu epidemic continues to affect almost the entire continental territory and part of Overseas, while the decrease in bronchiolitis continues, the public health agency reported this Wednesday, January 17.
The week of January 8 to 14 was marked by the circulation of flu viruses remaining “at a high level, despite a decrease in positivity rates in the city and in hospitals,” summarized Public Health France in your weekly newsletter on acute respiratory infections.
In the hospital, emergency indicators only increased among children aged 0 to 4 years, but this evolution “could also be observed in other age groups in the coming weeks,” according to the agency.
In mainland France, only Brittany and Normandy are not yet completely affected by the flu epidemic. However, they should continue, being until then in the pre-epidemic phase.
Abroad, Guyana and Guadeloupe remain in the epidemic phase, while Martinique remains in the pre-epidemic phase. The epidemic has ended in Mayotte.
Bronchiolitis in decline
If the flu is still very present, bronchiolitis, which mainly affects babies, continues to decrease.
“SOS Médecins medical procedures, emergency room visits and hospitalizations after a visit for bronchiolitis in children under 2 years of age decreased” for the sixth week, Public Health France noted.
If four continental regions are still affected by bronchiolitis (Burgundy-Franche-Comté, Corsica, Occitanie and Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur), seven are no longer considered epidemic areas.
Covid: active but decreasing circulation
Regarding Covid-19, the virus continues to circulate actively, but the decline observed for several weeks continues, in community medicine and in hospitals.
In general, “the circulation of respiratory viruses remains at a high level, despite the decrease in hospitalizations observed for SARS-CoV-2 and RSV,” the health agency noted.
In this context, in addition to insisting on the vaccination of people at highest risk against flu and Covid, Public Health France reiterated its call to respect “the use of a mask in case of symptoms, in crowded places and in the presence of vulnerable people “. , hand washing and regular ventilation of closed spaces.
Just under a third of French people aged 65 and over have received a booster anti-Covid vaccine since the start of the autumn campaign. And a third of anti-Covid vaccinations for older people have been carried out at the same time as flu vaccinations, since the opening of this second campaign.
Source: BFM TV
