Hauts-de-France, Normandy and Burgundy-Franche-Comté join Ile-de-France in the regions affected by the flu epidemicPublic Health France said on Wednesday. The bronchiolitis epidemic, which mainly affects babies, also continues to grow.
The flu epidemic is spreading
Hauts-de-France, Normandy, Burgundy-Franche-Comté and Ile-de-France are in the “epidemic” phase for the flu. And almost all other regions – Corsica excepted – are in the so-called phase “pre-epidemic”. Overseas, Martinique is also in pre-epidemic. “Influenza/influenza syndrome indicators were sharply increasing in (city) medicine and in hospitals”summarized Public Health France in its weekly bulletin on acute respiratory infections. And “this increase concerned all age groups but more particularly those under 15“, she clarified.
While vaccinationparticularly of the most vulnerable, appears to be lagging behind compared to previous years, Public Health France reaffirms that this “remains the best way to protect yourself against the flu and COVID-19, particularly severe forms of these diseases.”. This vaccination campaign also concerns Covidfor the moment at its lowest but with a level of circulation of the virus in wastewater increasing compared to previous weeks. “In view of the end-of-year gatherings, there is still time to get vaccinated“, insists the agency, two weeks later the call from health authorities for “increased mobilization”.
Almost all regions in red for bronchiolitis
Pour bronchiolitis, all mainland regions, except Corsica, are in the epidemic phase. If the indicators were increasing the week ending December 8, they remain at “a level lower than that observed during the pre-COVID-19 pandemic period“, noted Public Health France. The level of intensity for bronchiolitis remains thus “weak in hospital environment”according to the agency. Cases of bronchiolitis were rare in 2020-2021, in a context marked by multiple confinements, before rebounding strongly the following three seasons. Overseas, the bronchiolitis epidemic now also affects Mayotte, which has been added to Guyana, Guadeloupe and Martinique.
This season is marked by the deployment of two preventive treatments, The Beyfortus d'AstraZeneca and Sanofi – an antibody given directly to babies – and Pfizer's Abrysvo – a vaccine administered before birth to pregnant women.
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