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France“A week of all dangers” with the “triple epidemic”
On a visit to Annecy, the French Minister of Health spoke of the difficulties that the “explosion of cases” of influenza can pose for the French health system.
François Braun, French Minister of Health.
AFP
Health Minister François Braun spoke on Wednesday of a “week of all dangers” for the French health system faced with a “triple epidemic” of Covid, bronchiolitis and influenza, with for the latter an “explosion of cases” . The minister paid a visit on Wednesday morning to the Annecy Genevois hospital center (Haute-Savoie), affected, he said, like the whole of the French system, by difficulties, in particular by a lack of staff, still “increased with proximity to Switzerland”, where many French caregivers choose to practice.
“In this triple epidemic, we are coming to a slightly calmer phase with regard to Covid and bronchiolitis”, he explained to the press: the virus “circulates less” for the coronavirus, while the level of infection remains “very high” for bronchiolitis, “but is improving”. “On the other hand”, for the flu, “there is an explosion of cases, with also serious cases, which mean that the intensive care units in a global way are saturated”, he underlined.
“This week is a bit of a week of all dangers, but the mobilization of personnel is absolutely complete and the system manages to hold up”
Last week, the health authorities noted a “continued increase in influenza indicators in all age groups”, according to their latest bulletin published on Wednesday.
Flu epidemic
The flu epidemic is currently hitting all mainland and overseas regions. Last week, hospitalizations for flu-like illness increased by 75%, said the same bulletin. The bronchiolitis epidemic continued “at a high level in mainland France as well as in Guadeloupe, Martinique and Mayotte”. On the other hand, for the third consecutive week, the health authorities noted a “continued reduction in emergency visits and hospitalizations following emergency visits for bronchiolitis in children under 2 years old” in mainland France.
During his trip to Annecy, the Minister of Health also deplored the strike movement by general practitioners at the national level and liberal nurses in Haute-Savoie, finding the strike “particularly unwelcome in this period of extreme difficulty for the health system”. “My door has always remained open and it will remain so to solve the problems”, added Mr. Braun, who notably visited the emergency department and participated in a round table with officials and caregivers from the hospital, directors of other health establishments and elected officials.
Reminding all French people of the need to be careful during this holiday season marked by reunions, François Braun said he “feared an epidemic rebound” in January. “So vaccination is still relevant with regard to the flu, as well as wearing a mask and washing hands, of course, in closed places and where there are very many of us,” he insisted. .
(AFP)
