If the infant’s gastroenteritis and bronchiolitis are full, and are obviously not ready to leave us even if the main peak seems to have been reached compared to previous years, the flu comes in turn. The third contagious winter disease is upon us. Like five other regions of France, Burgundy Franche-Comté is on pre-epidemic alert. Until Wednesday January 8 at least. The next France public health bulletin, published every Thursday, should confirm the official entry into the annual epidemic, with, apparently, a predominance of the type A virus and more precisely H3N2.
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Several strains
Which does not mean anything in itself, says Dr. Marianne Sarazin of Sentinel network since “there are always several viruses at the same time. It’s not necessarily the predominant one you’ll meet. This is why we combine several strains, the most virulent found in the southern hemisphere, to form the vaccine. There are four for the first time this year. “
The flu is indeed a mutant virus “complicated” to apprehend and the doctor deplores, like all his colleagues, his “trivialization in the minds of the general public. Because it’s unfortunately a virus that kills. It represents a factor that can worsen another disease ”. And if it does not protect 100%, the vaccine helps to “mitigate” possible contamination and makes the “lower chances” of being contaminated. But above all, “a person who is vaccinated has less risk of transmitting the virus”.
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Four serious cases already
For Olivier Retel, epidemiologist and responsible for the Burgundy Franche-Comté cell of Public Health France , the organization that collects the data provided by the Sentinel Network, hospital emergencies and SOS Médecin, also recalls: “Two deaths in three elderly people during this epidemic period are due to the flu! “
As for the epidemiological data, they are currently quite weak. By the end of the year, “eleven episodes of grouped cases of acute respiratory infection in communities”, ie “6% of outbreaks reported in France”, had been reported, as well as “four serious cases in the region since the start of surveillance of influenza cases admitted to intensive care on 4 November. “
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The same dynamic
Because the flu is actually around October and May. For the moment, the start of the epidemic is almost modeled on that of last year with a very moderate progression which should know a spectacular rise shortly. The holiday family outpourings of the holiday season, the return to school and the return to work of vacationers should give a boost to the epidemics of gastroenteritis and influenza. For the moment, only the strike at the SNCF is holding it back a little.
They benefit from the “same dynamic” favored by “confinement”, “promiscuity” and population displacements which are the three main factors of acceleration of the virus diffusion process.
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