The seasonal flu epidemic has spread to all continental regions and to a greater part of overseas territories, French Public Health stated on Wednesday, January 24, also pointing out the continuation of the reflux of bronchiolitis and Covid.
The week of January 15 to 21 saw a more intense circulation of influenza viruses “with an increase in positivity rates in the city and in hospitals. Activity in community medicine and ward indicators emergency also increased,” the public health agency summarized in its weekly. Bulletin on acute respiratory infections.
In hospital, the number of emergency room visits for flu or similar illnesses has increased significantly (+61% in one week, to 7,546), as has the number of subsequent hospitalizations (+55% to 1,349).
In mainland France, all regions are now facing the flu; Brittany and Normandy, in turn, have entered the epidemic phase. Abroad, Martinique joined Guyana and Guadeloupe among the territories totally affected by the epidemic. Mayotte is already made.
Bronchiolitis continues to decline
If the flu has intensified, bronchiolitis, which mainly affects babies, has continued to decline. In mainland France, no region is in the epidemic phase, and four more regions have left it (Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, Occitanie, Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur and Corsica).
“Emergency room use and hospitalizations following a visit for bronchiolitis in children under 2 years of age continued to decline” and “SOS Médecins medical procedures stabilized at a moderate level,” Public Health France noted.
Abroad, bronchiolitis persists in Guadeloupe, Réunion and Mayotte; Martinique and Guyana are no longer considered epidemic areas.
Covid-19 continues to circulate actively
Regarding Covid-19, the virus continues to actively circulate, but the decline observed for several weeks continues, in community medicine, in hospitals or even in wastewater.
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 an anti-Covid reminder 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
