The flu epidemic remains "very active" in France, where the use of healthcare has risen again among children and adolescents since the return from the Christmas holidays, which could cause a resurgence also among adults in the coming weeks, Public Health France (SpF) indicated on Wednesday.
During the week of January 12-18, the use of healthcare services continued to increase among those under 15 years of age in general practice but also in emergency departments, after two consecutive weeks of decline, while it remained decreasing among adults, according to the weekly report from the health agency.
"It is possible that this resurgence in the circulation of influenza viruses among children, following the start of the school year in early January, will lead to a surge in the use of healthcare among adults in the coming weeks, but it is very difficult to anticipate the impact that such an epidemic resurgence could have on the healthcare system," noted SpF.
Although they predict "a decrease in the use of influenza care over the next four weeks", the new models from the Pasteur Institute and SpF show a "high" level of uncertainty, so that "a rebound in the use of hospital care in the coming weeks remains possible", although arguably less significant than at the end of 2025.
Overseas, the Antilles and French Guiana remain in epidemic mode, while Mayotte has emerged from it and Réunion has returned to a baseline level.
As for deaths related to influenza, their proportion among deaths covered by an electronic certificate has decreased but has remained "at a high level" (6.5%), according to the health agency.
Last season was marked by one of the most severe epidemics since 2009, with some 17,600 deaths attributed to influenza, compared to an average of around 10,000. This toll was partly linked to low vaccination rates.
Although the proportion of vaccinated French people appears higher this season, with more than half of those aged 65 and over vaccinated (53%), it remains far from the targets.
Furthermore, the first reports on the vaccine indicate a "moderate" effectiveness, preventing between 29.7% and 42.5% of influenza infections, across all age groups.
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