THE ESSENTIAL
- From December 16 to 22, all indicators linked to influenza increased sharply in all age groups, as did the activity of acute respiratory infections.
- For bronchiolitis, a decrease in the majority of indicators was observed, and on the coronavirus side, the latter were generally stable.
- During this holiday season, Public Health France recalls the importance of getting vaccinated and respecting barrier gestures in order to protect yourself and those around you.
Fever, cough, fatigue, joint and muscle pain… Some French people spent Christmas Eve suffering from these symptoms. The reason is simple: last week, the epidemic gained intensity. This is what Public Health France revealed in its bulletin published on December 26. Indeed, from December 16 to 22, all indicators linked to this contagious respiratory infection increased sharply. “The A(H1N1)pdm09 and B/Victoria viruses continued to co-circulate.” According to the data, all age groups were affected. Children under 15 were the most affected in town and in hospital, but a marked increase in visits to emergency rooms and hospitalizations among people aged 65 and over, who were particularly vulnerable, was observed.
Acute respiratory infections: those under 5 and over 65 are the most hospitalized
Regarding acute respiratory infections, their activity was clearly increasing in community medicine and in hospitals across all age groups. Hospitalizations after visits to the emergency room particularly concerned those aged 65 and over, with 58% of hospitalizations for acute respiratory infections, and those under 5 years of age, representing 23% of hospitalizations. From December 9 to 15, “the number of new episodes of acute respiratory infections in medico-social establishments was increasing, a trend driven mainly by the increase in episodes linked to influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), responsible for bronchiolitis. These data do not are not yet consolidated”, can we read in the press release.
The bronchiolitis epidemic is “at a low level of intensity”
On the bronchiolitis side, the “intensity level” of the bronchiolitis epidemic was located “at a low level compared to these previous epidemics.” This could indicate the “passage of the epidemic peak (…) which will be confirmed in the coming weeks.” Specifically, the RSV positivity rate was starting to decrease at the hospital last week. However, it continues to circulate, given that the positivity rate was increasing in community medicine. For Covid-19, syndromic indicators remained generally stable in town and in hospital last week. In detail, the positivity rate for SARS-CoV-2 among samples tested in city laboratories and taken by city doctors decreased, but increased in hospitals.
The importance of vaccination and barrier gestures
Public Health France reminds that the best way to protect yourself against the flu, but also the coronavirus, remains vaccination. In the context of gatherings during the end-of-year holidays, it helps protect those around you, in particular people aged 65 and over, children over 6 months old, suffering from comorbidities with a high risk of serious illness. of the disease, immunocompromised patients, pregnant women and residents in post-acute care establishments or in medico-social establishments regardless of their age. To fight against respiratory syncytial virus, two options are possible: vaccination of pregnant women to protect newborns or infants under 6 months of age, or immunization of babies with a monoclonal antibody.
Finally, respecting barrier gestures is essential at the end of the year. The list includes 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.
