Winter flu reaches pre-epidemic levels in southeast France and Corsica
Viruses are continuing to spread across the country, including flu and bronchiolitis, although there are regional disparities, a new report shows. Covid hospital pressure remains high
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Cases of winter flu are continuing to spread across France, especially in the southeast and Corsica. Fewer cases last year due to Covid measures mean that there is less immunity this year.
Flu is reaching pre-epidemic proportions in some areas, suggests a .
In a statement, SPF said that during the fourth week of January, 鈥渢he evolution of influenza activity was variable鈥� across France, with "influenza and influenza-like illness indicators鈥n the rise in Provence-Alpes-C么te d'Azur and Corsica鈥�.
Corsica has now entered a 鈥減re-epidemic鈥� phase, it said, while decreasing cases in Ile-de-France show that the urban region is now 鈥渢ransitioning to the post-epidemic phase鈥�.
"In the other regions, influenza activity was stable,鈥� it said.
Last year, the number of cases of flu was on the decrease overall, as lockdowns and anti-Covid measures stopped all viruses from spreading.
However, this means that there is less immunity to flu this year, enabling the epidemic to spread more.
Bronchiolitis updates
Bronchiolitis, which mainly affects infants, has also been spreading for the same reason.
Last week, it was at epidemic proportions in Auvergne-Rh么ne-Alpes, Centre-Val de Loire, Occitanie, and Pays de la Loire.
It is now officially on the decline in Bourgogne-Franche-Comt茅, Brittany, Normandy, Nouvelle-Aquitaine and Provence-Alpes-C么te d'Azur, and has been over for some time in Ile-de-France.
In better news, SPF said that they are seeing 鈥渁 drop in the number of emergency admissions and hospitalisations after emergency visits due to bronchiolitis in children under 2鈥�.
Covid situation 鈥榬emains fragile鈥�
It comes as Covid continues to put pressure on hospitals.
Government spokesperson Gabriel Attal yesterday (February 2) : 鈥淭he number of people hospitalised with Covid-19 is the highest we have seen since the beginning of this epidemic 鈥� over 30,000 patients. It's extremely high. There is still a lot of pressure on hospitals.鈥�
He added: 鈥淭he situation remains fragile because we are still seeing a very high level of declared cases, because of the subvariant BA.2, which seems even more contagious.
鈥淲e have seen in other countries 鈥� such as Denmark 鈥� that it has quickly become dominant and has caused another spike in cases, and there is still extremely high tension in hospitals.鈥�
However, Mr Attal explained that the tide is beginning to turn.
He said: "Since the end of last week, there have been fewer cases reported each day than on the same day the week before. For the first time in a while, we have, over a week, seen a decrease in the incidence rate at the national level.鈥�
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