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winter ailments arrive in Occitania

With the arrival of winter, various viruses circulate more than usual in Occitania, especially childhood diseases such as bronchiolitis and scarlet fever. Update on the epidemic situation in Occitania.

There are winter viruses in Occitania. In addition to the Covid epidemic accelerating across the country, bronchiolitis is actively circulating and the first cases of flu have been reported.

This year the bronchiolitis epidemic came earlier and more significantly. According to virological data from the university hospitals of Nîmes, Montpellier and Toulouse, dating back to 1is December, the circulation of this respiratory virus continues to increase in Occitania.

In the last two weeks, pediatric doctors and resuscitators have also reported a higher than usual number of pediatric cases of invasive group A streptococcal infections (IISGA), mainly responsible for scarlet fever and angina. These invasive infections have occurred in Occitania, but also in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes and New Aquitaine, especially in children under 10 years old.

These cases led to the admission to intensive care of at least 8 children with no identified risk factors, of which 2 died. Three adult cases were reported of which 1 died.

Pr. Jérôme Salomon, Director General of Health

The UK has also reported an increase in cases in recent days with at least 6 deaths among children.

The first cases of influenza have been identified, but our region has not yet entered the epidemic phase. The Regional Health Agency (ARS) recalls that “the deterioration of these indicators requires a strong strengthening of all our supervisory reflexes. Faced with Covid and all the winter viruses, it’s time to reactivate the barrier gestures that limit the transmission of these viruses.

Because as far as Covid is concerned, contamination has accelerated in the region in recent days. According to the Ars, the virus circulates more and hospitalizations due to Covid also increase (+19% in one week, with currently 1,334 people hospitalized in Occitania)

In Occitania,the gastros are at a rather stable level and lower than what is usually observed, according to Marion Debin, a sentinel network epidemiologist. As far as chickenpox, we’re about as high as expected this time of year, and also below the level of respiratory infections.

The president of the Council of the Order of Doctors in Occitania wants to be reassuring about the health situation in the region. “We are not in an unusual or alarming situation for the time of year, analyzes Dr. Jean Thevenot. What can be worrying is the concurrence of different viruses, because the association of diseases, individually benign, can make a case very worrying when they are contracted at the same time.

Like all the professionals we contacted today, Dr. Thevenot reminds us of the importance of getting used to barrier gestures.

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