Bronchiolitis epidemic: what is the situation in the Paca region?
The Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region was placed in the epidemic phase by Public Health France in week 47 (from November 18 to 24, 2024). Surveillance indicators are increasing sharply in town and in hospitals.
In figures (data for week 48 from November 25 to 1is December) in the Paca region:
- 322 visits to emergency for bronchiolitis have andtand recordedands, or 14.2% of passages among children under 2 years old (compared to 11.3% in week 47).
- 119 hospitalizations for bronchiolitis after going to the emergency room, i.e. 29.4% of hospitalizations in this age group (compared to 25.7% in S47);
Consult the Paca epidemiological bulletin from Public Health France
Preventive treatment to protect the little ones
The new Beyfortus® preventive treatment aimed at protecting newborns from the most serious forms of the disease and thus avoiding hospitalization has a very high adherence rate among parents of newborns and infants.
Last year, in the Paca region, more than 9,800 infants have received this treatment leaving the maternity ward, i.e. more than 72% of newborns over this period.
According to Santé Publique France, this first campaign confirmed the effectiveness of this treatment, with a reduction in immunized infants of nearly 75% in the risk of hospitalization and 80% in the risk of developing a serious form of bronchiolitis requiring admission. in intensive care.
-News 2024
A new preventive treatment campaign with Beyfortus® was relaunched this year for infants under one year old. The treatment is available this year after leaving maternity wards and also in town pharmacies..
In addition, maternal vaccination against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), the main virus responsible for bronchiolitis in young children, is also offered to women during pregnancy. This vaccination solution thus complements the range of preventive treatments already available. Injected between the end of the seventh month and the end of the eighth month of pregnancy, the Abrysvo® vaccine allows the pregnant woman to produce antibodies which she transmits to her child through the placenta. The infant is thus protected from birth and until the age of 6 months against the virus.
Bronchiolitis in infants: reminder and good actions
Acute bronchiolitis is a respiratory disease of viral origin which mainly affects children under 2 years of age during winter seasonal epidemics. It is transmitted by saliva, coughing, sneezing, and the virus can remain on hands and objects (such as toys, pacifiers, comforters).
To prevent bronchiolitis contamination, it is recommended to adopt the right behaviors:
- wash your hands before caring for your baby;
- wash his nose regularly with physiological serum;
- ventilate your room every day, like the rest of the home, for at least 10 minutes a day;
- limit visits to very close, non-sick adults;
- avoid frequenting confined public places (supermarkets, restaurants and public transport, etc.) and favor going outdoors;
- in the event of symptoms in parents or those close to them, wear a mask when caring for the baby;
My child has bronchiolitis, what should I do?
In 95% of cases, bronchiolitis does not require hospitalization and can therefore be treated by a local doctor. The latter will remind you of the hygienic and dietary measures (nose washing, splitting meals, etc.) and will give you instructions for monitoring your child. and know how to detect a possible deterioration justifying a new consultation or hospital treatment.
