The flu epidemic was still very intense in the second week of January, according to the Public Health France bulletin, published Wednesday January 15. Like the previous week, the level of intensity was high in all age groups. “The share of hospitalizations for influenza/flu-like illness among all-cause hospitalizations was still at a very high level of intensity in all age groups,” note Public Health France.
A sharp increase was also reported in social medical establishments and the share of deaths linked to influenza (according to electronic certificates) reached 7.3% of deaths. At 6% the previous week, the figure already exceeded the peaks of the three flu epidemics of previous seasons.
According to a survey by the Samu-Urgences union, carried out among 6 private establishments and 126 public establishments, this pressure exerted on the hospital has caused serious events. 39 establishments, or 30% of the establishments concerned by the survey, claim to have declared serious adverse events linked to care. The EIGS was thus defined by the health authorities: “a serious adverse event associated with care (SAE) is an unexpected event with regard to the state of health and pathology of the person and whose consequences are death, life-threatening prognosis, probable occurrence of ‘a permanent functional deficit, including a congenital anomaly or malformation’. The union points out the dangerousness of the situation, the overload of emergency services and the deterioration in the quality and safety of care.
Thus, according to this same flash survey, 85% of the establishments which participated have activated the “Hospital in tension” plan, 37% the white plan – and 9% are preparing to trigger it.
Stretcher patients clutter the corridors
In question? 90% of respondents warn of the saturation of downstream emergency services – where unscheduled patients who require hospitalization only stay a few days, 79% of increased epidemic activity and 69% of the massive influx of patients to EMERGENCIES.
Failing emergency services and massive crowds in emergency rooms have had direct consequences on the care of patients in emergency departments. “93% of EDs saw a significant increase in the number of ‘stretcher patients’ waiting for an inpatient bed in the morning, 45% of which increased by more than 50%. The duration of visits to emergency rooms has increased on average by more than 30% with the impacts on morbidity and mortality now known to all”notes the investigation.
-For the union, although the flu epidemic is intense, it remains contained. He denounces a lack of anticipation on the part of health authorities. “The care needs of the population in terms of use of outpatient services and hospitalization capacity are easily dimensionable based on data from previous years, and should be part of a forecast plan to respond to these situations.” Samu-Urgences is calling for the creation of additional places in hospital and in medical and rehabilitation care (in order to free up hospital beds), as well as more outpatient care offers, particularly in community medicine.
As a reminder, in 2024, the waiting time to obtain an appointment with a general practitioner amounts to 10 days on average in 2024, compared to 4 days in 2019, according to the access to care barometer of the French Hospital Federation .
*Flash survey conducted by Samu-Urgences de France from January 9 to 12, 2025 among 6 private establishments and 126 public establishments authorized for emergency medicine over the period from December 20, 22024 to January 12, 2025
Source: Samu-Emergency Union, Public Health France, HAS, French Hospital Federation
