Bronchiolitis: Around fifteen babies transferred from Île-de-France to other regions

The bronchiolitis epidemic, which is "gaining momentum" in Ile-de-France, the first region in mainland France affected, is accompanied by the transfer of babies to facilities in neighboring regions, sometimes due to a lack of beds but also, according to health authorities, to bring them closer to the parents' home.

In the Île-de-France region, 14 babies in intensive care had to be transferred to other regions due to a lack of beds, according to information from France Inter on Monday morning. "We have 36 beds in this unit, and all 36 are occupied, full," Naïm Ouldali, a pediatrician at Robert Debré Hospital in Paris, told the radio station.

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In a statement released in the afternoon, the Regional Health Agency clarified that "16 children have been involved in a transfer to a hospital outside Île-de-France" since mid-October, with two of these transfers having taken place this weekend.

"Among these 16 transfers, six are not related to tensions on hospital places in Île-de-France but responded to a non-medical issue of getting closer to the parents' home, particularly in Val d'Oise and Yvelines," the ARS indicated.

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And, according to its statement, "the other 10 cases of transfers can indeed be attributed to local tension on supply but not necessarily to saturation of services on a regional scale."

"In these cases of local tensions, particularly in the departments of the outer suburbs, a transfer to a nearby establishment in a neighboring region may prove more relevant and comfortable for parents than a transfer to another department in the Île-de-France region," according to the agency.

Health Minister Stéphanie Rist also stated on Monday on BFMTV that "there are transfers of children between services often due to family reunification, often so that the child is taken care of as close as possible to where he/she lives."

But "we are obviously monitoring the state of services very closely," she assured.

The Île-de-France region, on epidemic alert for bronchiolitis for the sixth week, recorded a weekly increase in emergency room visits of 7.4% for children under 2 years old and 9.7% for children under 1 year old between November 24 and 30.

However, the ARS pointed to "a downturn" for children under 2 years old since the end of November.

Two immunizing treatments are now available against bronchiolitis: Abrysvo (Pfizer), a vaccine administered to the mother before the baby's birth, and Beyfortus (AstraZeneca/Sanofi), a treatment given to the infant during its first months.

But "the vast majority of parents whose children are hospitalized for RSV bronchiolitis are not aware of the existence of these products," according to Naïm Oualdali.