While it was regarding to decline, the flu seems to be starting once more in certain regions of France, with a clear progression of the viral strain B.
The flu epidemic is on the rise once more in France following four consecutive weeks of decline, the public health agency summarized on Wednesday. This increase was observed mainly in three regions:
- Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
- Centre-Val-de-Loire
- Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur.
In the other metropolitan regions, the trend in flu activity was generally stable, according to the weekly report from Public Health France. In total, ten regions out of thirteen are still in epidemic. Ten days ago, health authorities announced a extension until February 28 of the national flu vaccination campaign.
Circulation du virus de type B
Last week, the flu positivity rate was up sharply (+13 points) in the city, with “progress on the part of type B/Victoria virus (which almost exclusively infects humans unlike the type A which is also present in certain animals such as aquatic birds), which have become the majority”, emphasizes Public Health France. “However, this virus can completely reinfect people who have already had type A flu.“, underlines Benjamin Davido, infectiologist at the Raymond-Poincaré hospital in Garches.
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The seasonal flu epidemic has begun early this season in France, and added to a bronchiolitis outbreak particularly intense in babies, as well as to a wave of Covid, a “triple epidemic» which put the care system under pressure. Although on the rise once more, flu indicators remainat a low intensity level in the city and in the hospital“, notes Public Health France, continuing to insist on the importance of vaccination.
Bronchiolitis, which has been declining since the end of 2022, continues to decline over most of the territory, the epidemic having ended in three new regions (Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, Nouvelle-Aquitaine and Provence-Alpes- French Riviera). It now only affects Mayotte.