The flu epidemic is intensifying and particularly affects those under 15 and over 65. Jérôme Marty, president of the French Union for Free Medicine, anticipates a probable “explosion of cases” with the return of the Christmas holidays.
The seasonal flu epidemic strengthened throughout France last week, while that of bronchiolitis, ongoing in eleven regions, was decreasing in intensity, Public Health France (SpF) said on Thursday. But the return from vacation could probably cause an “explosion of cases”, feared by RMC Jérôme Marty, president of the French Union for Free Medicine.
“Very high level” among under-15s
However, the flu has reached a “very high” level among those under 15, while hospitalizations particularly concern those 65 and over. “There are obvious fears, particularly in large cities,” according to Jérôme Marty.
During the week ending December 29, acute respiratory infections were “clearly increasing”, both in hospitals and in community medicine, affecting people of all ages, according to the weekly bulletin published by the health agency.
Hospitalizations “after visits to the emergency room” particularly concerned people aged 65 and over: they represented almost two thirds of hospitalizations for an acute respiratory infection, in the last week of 2024.
Saturated emergencies
And the emergency rooms of some hospitals are already saturated. This is the case in Villeneuve-Saint-Georges, in Val-de-Marne… Due to the lack of beds, the staff has decided to go on strike until they have the reinforcement of at least four additional people.
Same problem in Chalon-sur-Saône, in Saône-et-Loire, saturated service, explosion of cases of covid and flu at the emergency entrance. As a result, strict regulation is put in place. Calling 15 is obligatory before traveling; for the moment, only vital emergencies are permitted. In Dieppe, for the same reasons, the white plan is triggered…
In Bouches-du-Rhône, it is the firefighters who alert. They denounce increasingly long waiting times for support. Blame it on the saturation of emergency rooms in Aix or Salon-de-Provence, for example.
“It’s the first condition that circulates in acute respiratory infections. We’re starting to have cases in people over 65, that’s where it becomes dangerous,” he points out. “You have people returning from vacation, there are people who were infected on vacation and who are going to bring all this back to the big cities. You are going to have a probable explosion of cases,” then anticipates the health professional, who recommends for the most vulnerable people to be vaccinated.
Bronchiolitis and covid-19
As for the bronchiolitis epidemic, it continues in eleven regions of France but its intensity is decreasing for the second consecutive week, both in cities and in hospitals. The Antilles, Mayotte and Guyana are also in the epidemic phase, specifies AFP. The bronchiolitis epidemic, however, is arriving in Corsica and Reunion, which are both in the “pre-epidemic” phase, while Ile-de-France is emerging from the epidemic.
Concerning Covid-19, the indicators remain “generally stable at low levels” compared to the previous week. “Vaccination remains the best way to protect yourself against influenza and Covid-19, in particular serious forms of these diseases,” recalls Public Health France.
