By Le Figaro Santé with AFP
Published
December 26 at 6:26 p.m.
terovesalainen – stock.adobe.com
Children were the most affected last week, but the elderly represent the majority of hospitalized patients, indicates Public Health France.
The flu epidemic intensified the week before Christmas, Public Health France indicated Thursday in its weekly situation update. In week 51, from December 16 to 22, « activity linked to acute respiratory infections was clearly increasing in community medicine and hospitals in all age groups ».
« Children under 15 were most affected »specifies the health agency, and we can therefore fear strong transmission during family gatherings, particularly towards the elderly, who are particularly vulnerable. The A(H1N1) and B/Victoria viruses continue to co-circulate. In total, SPF estimates that the incidence rate is 180 cases per 100,000 inhabitants in general practice. « The number of visits to the emergency room for influenza-like illness was 11 062, or 3.0% of passages (vs. 1.7% in week 50). The number of hospitalizations after an influenza-like illness was 1,659, or 2.3% of all hospitalizations (vs. 1.1% in W50). »
Hospitalizations
The oldest are already paying the high price of the epidemic: « Hospitalizations after visits to the emergency room particularly concerned those aged 65 and over (58% of hospitalizations) and those under 5 years of age (23% of hospitalizations). »specifies SPF. Among the oldest, the number of hospitalizations (970) and visits to the emergency room was increasing. « marked increase »as well as cases grouped in medico-social establishments. « Finally, the share of deaths with a mention of flu among electronically certified deaths progressed clearly » (2% in week 51, compared to 0.9% the previous week).
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On the other hand, bronchiolitis seems to be on the decline: the level of epidemic intensity was at « a low level »which could indicate the « passage of the epidemic peak (…) which will be confirmed in the coming weeks ». The epidemic also seems to be returning to the face it had before the Covid-19 pandemic. The latter for his part is stable, in town and in the hospital.
« Vaccination remains the best way to protect yourself » against the flu and Covid-19, argues the health agency, which adds: « In the context of gatherings during the end-of-year holidays, (…) the adoption of barrier gestures remains essential to protect against all winter diseases : washing hands, ventilating rooms and wearing a mask in the event of symptoms (fever, sore throat or cough), in busy places and in the presence of vulnerable people. »
Coronavirus
