France is facing one of the largest influenza epidemics on its territory since 2019. Since the start, there have been 600 deaths.
The epidemic “was not sufficiently anticipated“. On the set of BFMTV, the professor of emergency medicine, Frédéric Lapostolle, points out the lack of anticipation in the face of the rapid evolution of the flu. And the figures are alarming. In one week, the disease has caused the death of 600 people.Our indicators, whether in hospital or in terms of deaths, clearly show the severity of the flu epidemic this year“, notes Sibylle Bernard-Stoecklin, epidemiologist at the infectious diseases department of Public Health France. This rapid transmission could cause excess mortality higher than the 9,000-10,000 deaths that an epidemic causes on average each year.
The Sentinels network indicates that the incidence rate of influenza viruses rose to 231 new cases per 100,000 inhabitants. A rate well beyond the epidemic threshold, located at 179 cases. “Flu epidemics are expected every year […] each time, the health system is shaken up, even up against the wall in the face of a predictable flu epidemic.”, deplores the doctor.
“Very high hospital activity”
For its part, Santé Publique France affirmed, Wednesday January 15, that hospital activity is “very high“and she notices a”sharp increase in deaths“. As proof, 7.3% of the deaths occurring between January 6 and 12 were linked to the flu in France. As of January 10, 87 white plans were activated. The Oscour network claims that 5.2 % of patients admitted to emergency rooms are linked to a flu-like illness during the first week of 2025. A figure almost five times higher than the average between 1% and 1.5%.
-Frédéric Lapostolle also assures that “vaccination is not up to par”, particularly in nursing homes: “The vaccination rate in nursing homes is notoriously insufficient, which contributes to many nursing home patients ending up in emergency rooms..” The authorities are calling for vaccination.
published on January 19 at 5:10 p.m., Sébastien Salpietro, 6Medias
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