The seasonal flu epidemic has spread throughout France

While attention is currently focused on the new coronavirus, the seasonal flu is spreading in France. All metropolitan regions are in the epidemic phase of this viral disease which kills thousands every winter.

The “indicators of influenza activity” registered a “strong increase” the last week of January. The epidemic has also declared itself in Normandy, the last region of France which was still spared, according to official weekly figures published on Wednesday.

Sharp increase in consultations

Consultations for influenza-like illness recorded by the Sentinelles network jumped 62% compared to the previous week, to 301 per 100,000 inhabitants. The flu represented 15.3% of the reasons for visits by SOS Doctors against 11.3% the previous week, details the public health agency France.

Nearly 9,000 people went to the emergency room for influenza-like illness (+ 56%, at 8,821 passages). Of these, 810 were hospitalized, 72% more than a week earlier.

Young children under 5 particularly affected

Unlike in other years, children seem to be significantly affected by the epidemic: children under the age of 5 account for almost a third of emergency room visits and hospitalizations for influenza. Since November, 311 people representing serious cases of influenza have been admitted to intensive care, of which 26 have died.

The average age of these serious cases is 52 years and 73% had risk factors for complications (age over 65, chronic diseases, etc.). Among the latter, three-quarters were not vaccinated against influenza (among those whose vaccination status was known).

10,000 deaths per year on average

Each year, seasonal flu affects 2 to 6 million people. It causes tens of thousands of emergency visits and leaves 10,000 dead on average. Last winter, the epidemic resulted in lower mortality than the average of previous years, but still significant, given its short duration, with approximately 8,100 deaths estimated during the two months of epidemic phase.