If it tends to decline on the whole of France while remaining at a level close to historical maximums, the prevalence of gastroenteritis remains high in Normandy, Brittany and the Grand Est.
Particularly late this year, the gastroenteritis epidemic marks a slight inflection, according to the France Public Health Bulletin published on April 10. The cases of acute diarrhea seen in general medicine consultation thus fell from 98/100,000 inhabitants at the end of March to 96/100,000, a week later. However, underlines the Sentinel network behind these statistics, during the first week of April “At the regional level, the highest incidence rates were observed in Normandy (196), the Grand Est (126) and Brittany (112)”.
Observations corroborated by the data of SOS doctors whose share of consultations for gastroenteritis (8.7 %) “Stabilizes after an increase observed since February”. This proportion nevertheless remains close to historical maximums, concludes SOS doctors which is a higher activity than that of the 2023-2024 season. children under the age of five are particularly affected with an impact reaching 11.2 % of all SOS doctors consultations in those under 5. “A level higher than those observed during the 2023-2024 season and close to historic maximums”notes public health France.
As for the emergency room passages, the Oscour data reports, in the general population, of a rate of 1.7 % for acute gastroenteritis. A proportion which however reaches 9 % for children under the age of 5. Public health France stresses that “Rotavirus are responsible for about half of the severe infant diarrhea requiring hospitalization”even though vaccination against rotaviruses is recommended in France for all infants. The two available vaccines have shown their very great efficiency alive. The health agency recalls that vaccination – orally, 2 or 3 doses depending on the vaccine – must be started at the age of 2 months and be completed at 6 or 8 months at the latest.
