This Friday, June 28, 2024, Public Health France published the regional epidemiological update for week 25 (from June 17 to 23, 2024). For several weeks, the number of weekly cases of leptospirosis and dengue fever has been decreasing. Consultations for acute respiratory infection in emergency rooms are also decreasing. We publish below the press release from Public Health France (Photo: DR)
– Leptospirosis –
Since January 1, 2024, 244 cases of indigenous leptospirosis have been reported to the ARS, i.e. 2 more cases than the previous week. The number of cases occurring since the start of the year is higher than the maximum annual number of cases reported since the start of surveillance, i.e. 169 cases in 2022.
Among the 244 cases, 11% were confirmed by serology, the others by blood and/or urine PCR.
Males accounted for 94% of cases, with a median age of 56 years (min=9; max=86). The 15 female cases had a median age of 43 years (min=13; max=74).
More than half of the cases resided in the south of the island (56% with 137 cases); 20% in the west with 47 cases and 19% in the east (with 46 cases). The north was the least impacted sector with only 5% of cases (with 13 cases). One case was reported in a tourist, residing in mainland France.
The rate of hospitalization in all departments, as well as the rate of hospitalization in critical care units, remained stable (64% and 25% respectively). Three deaths have been reported since the beginning of the year.
For 7 weeks (i.e. S18/2024), the activity of emergency services for suspected leptospirosis was less than 10 weekly visits. In W25, 2 visits followed by 1 hospitalization for this reason were identified.
For 8 weeks, the number of weekly cases of leptospirosis reported within the framework of the DO, as well as the number of weekly visits to the emergency room for this reason, were less than 10. With the southern winter, climatic conditions are becoming less and less favorable to the survival of the bacteria in soils and humid environments and the number of new contaminations decreases. However, there is always a risk of becoming contaminated during risky activities. Indeed, cases of leptospirosis are identified all year round even if 82% of cases in 2022 and 60% of cases in 2023 occurred between January and May.
It is important to remind people practicing activities at risk of contamination of individual prevention and protection measures, by consulting a doctor as soon as symptoms appear and indicating the activity(ies) at risk of contamination carried out.
For healthcare professionals, early diagnosis and management of cases and their reporting to the health authority is recommended (disease requiring mandatory reporting since August 2023).
– Dengue –
Since the start of the year, 1,209 cases of dengue have been reported. The winter decline continues: the number of cases increases from 34 cases in S23 to 15 cases in S24. Traffic gradually reaches that of 2022, while remaining much higher than that of 2023.
Most cases remain concentrated in the south of the island (10 cases out of 15), while the west has 4.
The traffic concerns 10 municipalities, most of them located in the south.
The circulating serotype is always DENV2.
The health impact is low: 169 emergency room visits (mostly CHU Sud) for syndrome compatible with dengue fever since the beginning of the year, including 3 in S24. The hospital impact also remains low with 83 hospitalizations since the beginning of the year. In 2024, 4 deaths directly linked to dengue fever were reported.
Since the start of the year, 36 imported cases have been reported returning from travel – mainly returning from Mauritius and Rodrigues but also a few cases returning from the Antilles or Comoros.
– Acute respiratory infection and influenza viruses –
In W25, visits to the emergency room due to influenza-like illness decreased. Emergency departments recorded 26 visits for reasons of flu syndrome in W25 compared to 32 the previous week, a drop of 19%. The number of hospitalizations for influenza-like illness was, however, stable with 5 hospitalizations reported in W25 and in W24.
The share of emergency activity for influenza-related reasons represented less than 1% of total activity.
In general practice, the share of activity for Acute Respiratory Infections (ARI) was up moderately with 4.8% of total activity versus 4.2% of total activity in S24. The share of activity for ARI was above the 2013-2023 average in S25.
Virological surveillance identified in S25 a majority circulation of influenza type A(H1N1)pdm09. The positivity rate represented 8% of positive tests for influenza viruses in S25. It was 2% in S24.
– Bronchiolitis (in children under 2 years old) –
Emergency department visits for bronchiolitis in children under 2 years of age were stable in week 25 compared to the previous week. In week 25, 20 children under 2 years of age consulted the emergency department for bronchiolitis, as in week 24.
New hospitalizations were stable (n=5) compared to the previous week (n=8).
The share of emergency visits for bronchiolitis among all visits of children under two years old was stable with 7.5% of activity in S25 compared to 7.2% for S24.
Concerning virological surveillance, the positivity rate for RSV in children under two years of age was 4% in W25. It was zero in S24.
– Acute gastroenteritis –
In S25, emergency room visits for all ages for gastroenteritis were decreasing. The number of emergency room visits was 65 in S25 versus 71 in S24. The number of hospitalizations was also decreasing with 6 hospitalizations in S25 versus 12 hospitalizations in S24.
In children under 5 years old, visits to the emergency room for reasons of gastroenteritis decreased in week 25 (n=25) compared to the previous week (n=38). Hospitalizations after a visit to the emergency room were also decreasing with 3 hospitalizations in W25.
In W25, the share of emergency activity among those under 5 years old for gastroenteritis was down compared to the previous week (5.6% in W25 vs 8.7% in W24).
In community medicine, the share of activity for acute diarrhea increased slightly to 2.3% in S25. It remained above the average level for the years 2013-2023.
– Covid-19 –
In S25, 9 patients consulted the emergency room for reasons of Covid-19 compared to 13 patients the previous week. Three new hospitalizations for reasons of Covid-19 were recorded in S25 compared to 9 in S24.
– Mortality from all causes –
In S23, the number of deaths observed for all ages and all causes was 110 people. Compared to the previous week, the number of deaths observed was stable (n=113 in W22). The number of deaths observed in W23 was equal to the expected number of deaths (n=110).
Among those over 65, in S23, 85 deaths were observed vs. 83 expected deaths. This figure was stable compared to what was observed in S22 (82 deaths observed).
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