The flu epidemic remains active in many French regions, especially in the South-East where it continues to progress or in Ile-de-France where it is on the rise once more, according to the weekly report of Public Health France published on Wednesday.
During the fifth week of the year, “the evolution of influenza activity was always variable according to the regions”, summarizes the health agency in a statement.
“Flu and influenza-like illness indicators were still on the rise in Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur and Corsica and on the rise this week in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, Brittany and Ile-de-France,” she said. “On the other hand, a decrease in indicators was observed in the Centre-Val de Loire and Hauts-de-France regions”.
“The indicators were stable in the other metropolitan regions,” according to Public Health France.
Overseas, Guyana has passed into the epidemic phase, while Mayotte has emerged from the epidemic.
The previous winter, lockdowns and anti-Covid measures had blocked the circulation of other viruses, such as the flu.
Lire aussi. Le rappel covid-grippe annuel de Moderna « pas avant l’automne » 2023
The French have been less infected than usual and are therefore less collectively immune, which favors a resumption of the epidemic this winter.
“Any relaxation of control measures at the end of the fifth wave of Covid-19 might result in an intensification of influenza activity,” warns the health agency.
This was also the case for bronchiolitis which mainly affects infants and has given rise to an epidemic still in reflux, despite a slight rebound on the side of the acts of SOS Doctors.
After Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, Brittany, Normandy, Nouvelle-Aquitaine and Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur the previous week, the Corsican and Grand Est regions emerged from this epidemic. The epidemic of bronchiolitis has also been over for a longer time in Ile-de-France.
Public Health France also observes a “continued decline in emergency room visits and hospitalizations following emergency room visits for bronchiolitis in children under 2 years of age”.
