This Friday, January 3, 2025, Public Health France published the regional epidemiological update for the week of December 23 to 29, 2024. These cases are distributed between five active outbreaks. In Reunion, chikungunya confirms its spread with 118 cases since the start of the year, raising fears of a future epidemic. (Photo: www.imazpress.com)
Since August 23, 2024, 118 cases of indigenous chikungunya have been reported in Reunion. All cases, except one probable case, are confirmed cases. For S51, 17 cases were reported and for S52 (from December 23 to 29), the provisional total is 25 cases.
These cases are distributed between 5 active outbreaks. These centers are those of Hermitage, Grand Bassin, Ligne des 400, Trois Mares and Etang salé les Hauts. The Etang Salé home continues to be very active.
The ARS vector control service has deployed its management measures around all cases.
Read also – Chikungunya: 25 new cases in one week, the circulation of the virus continues to intensify
Read also – Chikungunya: in Reunion, the circulation of the virus is intensifying and continues to disperse
– Simple actions against dengue and chikungunya –
Like dengue, chikungunya is a disease transmitted by tiger mosquitoes (Aedes albopictus). Everyone can be affected: infants, children, adults, elderly people.
Protecting yourself with repellent and a mosquito net, eliminating mosquito nests and consulting your doctor if you experience symptoms are the key messages of this campaign.
Regularly eliminate places where mosquitoes can lay their eggs
Mosquitoes multiply by laying their eggs in containers and objects containing water located around the house.
To fight against mosquitoes, you must remove mosquito nests from your home and around your home every week:
– throw away or empty the cups, small containers, etc.
– empty gutters, tires, plants retaining water
– make water storage devices inaccessible to mosquitoes (installation of mosquito nets or fabrics, etc.)
– treat or empty unused swimming pools…
Protect yourself from mosquito bites
– mosquito repellent sprays,
– mosquito nets for children and bedridden people,
– diffusers/coilers,
– long clothes…
Consult your doctor in the event of symptoms (high fever, joint pain, headaches, severe fatigue, etc.) and continue to protect yourself against mosquito bites.
If you are sick, in order to prevent serious forms of the disease:
– consult your doctor or an emergency department if you have the following signs and symptoms: severe abdominal pain, persistent vomiting, inability to eat/hydrate, severe fatigue, agitation.
– monitor your health,
– go to the hospital if your state of health deteriorates, by calling the 15th in advance.
Discover all the tools and practical advice on the ARS La Réunion website.
– Other health indicators on the decline –
– Acute respiratory infections and influenza viruses
Emergency visits for influenza-related illnesses are decreasing with limited health impact.
In S52, emergencies total 28 passages for this reason versus 36 in S51 (Figure 1). The number of hospitalizations remains stable with a total of 6 versus 7 hospitalizations the previous week.
The share of emergency activity for a “flu syndrome” remains less than 1% of total activity.
In community medicine, Acute Respiratory Infections (ARI) are decreasing with an activity share of 2.9% in W52 compared to 3.6% in W50. The share of IRA activity is above the 2013-2023 average.
However, this increase in the share of activity must be put into perspective due to a significant number of sentinel doctors absent due to leave.
Virological surveillance in S51 identifies circulation of influenza viruses at a very low intensity and co-circulation of A(H1N1)pdm09 A(H3N2) type viruses. The positivity rate is decreasing with 6.2% of tests positive for influenza viruses in W52 versus 7.9% in W51.
– Bronchiolitis (in children under 2 years old)
Health indicators stabilize in S52 but remain at a high level. Emergency visits totaled 78 visits versus 87 for the previous week. Hospitalizations remain at a high level with a total of 33 versus 31 compared to the previous week.
The share of activity for bronchiolitis is estimated at 18.3%. It has remained stable for 3 consecutive weeks.
87% of emergency room visits and 91% of hospitalizations are attributable to children under 1 year old
In view of the health context of stability of indicators, Reunion remains in the pre-epidemic phase of bronchiolitis.
Concerning virological monitoring, the circulation of RSV decreases moderately with a positivity rate of 28% in W52 versus 30% in W51.
– Acute gastroenteritis (GEA)
In S52, the number of visits to emergency rooms of all ages for reasons of gastroenteritis decreases. The number of passages is 90 in S52 versus 98 in S51. The number of hospitalizations also decreases with 10 hospitalizations in S52 compared to 14 in S51.
In children under 5 years old, the number of visits to the emergency room for reasons of gastroenteritis decreases by 22% with 39 visits in S52 versus 50 visits in S5). The number of hospitalizations after a visit to the emergency room is stable with 3 hospitalizations in W52 versus 5 in W50.
In W52, the share of emergency activity among those under 5 years old for gastroenteritis decreases moderately compared to the previous week (5.8% in W52 vs 6.2% in W51).
In community medicine, the share of activity for acute diarrhea is stable and remains above the average for the years 2013-2023.
– COVID-19
In S52, emergency room consultations for COVID-19 reasons remain stable at a very low level.
In W52, 4 patients consulted the emergency room for reasons of COVID-19 versus 7 patients the previous week. No hospitalization for reasons of COVID-19 was notified in S52.
Virological surveillance implemented with virology data from the CHU microbiology laboratory (CNR Arbovirus Associated, CNR Respiratory Virus Associated, La Réunion) shows a positivity rate (TP) for COVID-19 in S52 that is still very low. In W52, only 5 tests were positive among 177 tests, i.e. a TP of 2.8% (versus 3 positive tests among 177 tests in W51, i.e. a TP of 1.7%).
– All-cause mortality
In S49, the number of deaths observed for all ages and all causes is 103 people. Compared to the previous week, the number of deaths remains stable (n=106 in W48). The number of deaths observed in S49 was lower than the expected number of deaths (n=112).
Among those over 65, the number of deaths observed in W49 (n=75) was lower than the expected number of deaths (n=85) and stable than that observed in W48 (72 deaths observed).
Health, Chikungunya, Mosquitoes
