The seasonal flu epidemic has now spread to the French metropolis. Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur is the first region affected, health authorities announced this Wednesday, December 13.
“We really urge caution”declared Isabelle Parent, epidemiologist at the Public Health France agency, while the third major winter epidemic, that of Covid 19, is on an upward slope. “We must remember that visiting elderly people during the holidays really requires being careful”she insisted, during a press conference organized by Public Health France when presenting the latest weekly epidemiological bulletin.
Arrival of the flu epidemic in mainland France
Last week, ending December 10, was notably marked by the arrival of the flu epidemic in mainland France. The PACA region is the first affected, but others should follow because the majority (eight out of thirteen) are already in the pre-epidemic phase. Overseas, Mayotte remains hit by the epidemic.
In details, the rate of consultations for influenza-like illness estimated from data from the Sentinels network was 251 per 100,000 inhabitants compared to 188 per 100,000 inhabitants a week earlier. There share of SOS Médecins activity for influenza-like illness was increasing in all age groups. It remains at least at low intensity for all ages combined.
Covid, for its part, is recording a new increase, noticeable in community medicine as well as in hospitals but also perceptible in wastewater. In this context, health authorities reiterated their call to be vaccinated for vulnerable people, particularly those over 65.
Barrier gestures little respected
They were also concerned regarding the poor respect for barrier gestures. According to a Public Health France survey carried out in September, barely more than one in two French people consider it necessary to wear a mask if he has symptoms like a cough or fever.
“In France, we have not yet adopted this barrier gesture which is essential” and remains associated in people’s minds with Covid alone, regretted Caroline Semaille, Director General of Public Health France.
A bronchiolitis epidemic which is stabilizing
Among the encouraging elements, the bronchiolitis epidemic, which mainly affects babies and experienced particularly high levels last winter, seems to be stabilizing. “A peak is emergingto be confirmed in the following weeks”summarized the epidemiologist Nicolas Méthy, evoking “a level reached which is lower than that of the previous season”.
It is still too early to say to what extent the arrival of a preventive treatment, Beyfortus (Sanofi), has been able to limit the epidemic. However, one element might point in this direction: among the youngest babies, a priori those who have received this treatment largely reserved for maternity wards, the level of hospitalizations for bronchiolitis is significantly lower than last season, while it is comparable for older people.
