This winter again, the flu is causing many deaths in Normandy

Monitoring of acute respiratory infections confirms a severe flu epidemic on the date of January 22, 2025. For a month, it has placed France and overseas territories in red alert.

Normandy is no exception and viruses cause deaths every week: 9% of death all causes combined were due to the flu at the beginning of January 2025, again 6% in the week of January 6 to 12, 2025.

A “considerable” weight

In its weekly bulletin monitoring acute respiratory infections, the French Public Health agency reports 611 deaths linked to influenza in France in “week 2”, that of January 6 to 12, 2025. At the same time but a year earlier, according to the national epidemiological bulletin of January 17, 2024, the number of deaths due to influenza in one week was 99.

Every year in France, generally between December and Marchce virus cause on average one million consultations in community medicinemore than 20,000 hospitalizations and approximately 9,000 deaths.

From one year to the next, the flu epidemics that occur in the territory are not similar, particularly because of the diversity of flu viruses, which do not circulate in the same way each winter season and do not have the same impact in terms of affected populations and severity. The burden of seasonal flu is therefore considerable on the healthcare system but also on society in general.

Nearly 50 deaths in one week

If it is understood that transparency must be required on the epidemiological datait is however more difficult to obtain the precise figures at the regional or departmental scale. What we find from the specialized services is a percentage of deaths declared in Normandy which remains high.

According to surveillance established from electronic death certificates, in which Normandy stands out for a greater increase in deaths “all causes combined” in week 2 (+ 10%, or + 50 deaths in Normandy), cases due to influenza represents 6% of more than 700 deaths, after a peak of 9% recorded at the beginning of January. These are therefore almost 50 deaths in one week (in week 2).

White plan in the South Channel

Facing the influx of patients87 French hospitals had to trigger the white plan at the start of the year. Among them, six establishments in the South Channel: the hospitals of Avranches, Granville, Mortain, Pontorson, Saint-James, Saint-Hilaire-du-Harcouët and Villedieu-les-Poêles. This is neither the case of the Cotentin Hospital Center nor that of the Saint-Lô Memorial Hospital Center.

As a reminder, a white plan allows you to reorganize and of concentrate resources on needsFor example by unprogramming operationsin increasing the number of beds availablein recalling caregivers on leave.

And the indicators measured (presence of the virus and hospital activities) give hope for a downward trend, “it must be emphasized that activity level still remains supported in the emergency services », relays the ARS of Normandy (Regional Health Agency) on January 22.

In recent weeks, the region's emergency services have had to manage a high level of activity, with a very high demand for hospitalization, particularly for polypathological elderly people affected by the flu.

“More cases, earlier”

Relaying the information collected from the medical officer of health of the Saint-Lô Memorial Hospital, its service communication confirms, that after a few calmer days, “it is very tense again with few beds available for hospitalize patients who arrive at the emergency room. This year ago significant attendance but not unusual for winter in emergencies, on the other hand there are more hospitalizations (for various viruses) including elderly people ».

“Regarding the flu, the number of cases is higher and earlier (low vaccination rateand low compliance with barrier gestures ). For the profile of hospitalized patients, the elderly and young people are affected. We are on a plateau,” adds the Memorial, which recorded 109 visits to the emergency room on January 13, more than the winter average (around 90 to 100 visits) but without being “unusual”.

Activity in community medicine is also dense. And SOS Doctors in the Cotentin still demonstrates “a little more activity than in other years”, according to its president Christophe Marchenay.

More than 22% of consultations carried outconcerned cases of influenza (294 cases) in week 2, more than 21% with 307 cases in week 3 (January 13 to 19). ” There is more sick people but not more serious cases than in other years,” the doctor procrastinates, while recognizing that “it’s a very serious epidemic.”

A call to get vaccinated

“Influenza viruses detected by hospital laboratories are mainly type A, subtype H1N1, and to a lesser extent type B,” specifies Public Health France which deplores an insufficient vaccination rate.

It is essential to recommend vaccination to all eligible people, in order to protect them and those around them, particularly the most vulnerable: people aged 65 and over; people aged over 6 months with comorbidities with a high risk of severe disease; immunocompromised people; pregnant women…

The ARS also recalls that, in the Channel, it is obligatory tocall 15before seeking emergency services.

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