Traveling to Annecy (Haute-Savoie) this Wednesday, the Minister of Health, François Braun, did not hide his concern. The flu epidemic in France is currently characterized by “an explosion of cases, particularly severe cases that make intensive care units, globally, saturated,” stressed the minister.
A finding supported by the latest epidemiological bulletin presented today by Public Health France, related to the evolution of the epidemic during the week of December 19 to 25. Although the entire metropolitan territory, as well as Mayotte, Réunion, Guadeloupe and Martinique are in the epidemic phase, the agency notes a “continuous increase in flu indicators in all age groups.”
“Very high” activity level in the city and in the hospital
Public Health France first emphasizes a “very high level of activity in city medicine and in hospitals, particularly between 15 and 64 years.” The incidence rate of consultations due to flu syndrome rose last week to 460 per 100,000 inhabitants, with an increase of 29% in seven days. Regarding SOS Médicos consultations, those related to flu syndromes continue to rise, already reaching 25.4%.
“The activity in the city’s medicine for flu syndrome remained at a very high level of intensity for all ages combined at week 51,” underlines Public Health France.
But it is at the hospital, where emergency services are already overwhelmed, where the dynamics are most worrisome. The number of ER visits for flu-like illnesses increased by 52%. But it is hospitalizations after going through the emergency room that are experiencing the greatest increase, since they have almost doubled.
Between December 19 and 25, 2,738 French people were hospitalized for flu-like illnesses, an increase of 75% compared to the previous week. Finally, both in outpatient medicine and in hospitals, the proportion of patients positive for influenza continues to increase. Once again, Public Health France evokes a “very high intensity level”.
193 people in intensive care since October
Though mild in most cases, the flu has sent nearly 200 French people to intensive care since early October. A total of 193 people have been admitted to intensive care since the start of the flu season. “16 were between 0 and 4 years old, 16 between 5 and 14 years old, 79 were between 15 and 64 years old and 80 were 65 years or older,” indicates Public Health France.
The death rate also appears to be accelerating. Of the 10 deaths reported since the beginning of October, seven have occurred in the last three weeks. “6 in people aged 65 and over, 2 in people from 15 to 64 years and 2 in children from 5 to 14 years”, reveals Public Health France.
Finally, among the 25,000 registered medico-social establishments in France, 98 cases of clustered episodes of acute respiratory infection attributed to influenza have been reported. But here again, an acceleration of pollution is emerging in recent weeks.
An early flu season
Some regions are more affected than others by this explosion of the flu epidemic. Public Health France highlights Hauts-de-France, Île-de-France, Normandy and the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region among the most affected territories.
Compared to previous waves of flu, the epidemic episode that devastates French territory this year is characterized by its precocity. It is the first time since 2017 that a level of incidence of consultations for flu-like illnesses has been reached so soon. But the current level of inquiries still falls short of the record for the 2018-2019 season.
In the midst of a strike by liberal doctors, these latest figures raise fears of the worst for the French hospital system. Health Minister François Braun spoke Wednesday of “a week of all dangers.”
Source: BFM TV
