The flu epidemic is spreading to new regions of France, the bronchiolitis epidemic is increasing

The seasonal flu epidemic, which first affected the Ile-de-France region, has spread to three other regions of metropolitan France, and that of bronchiolitis, which mainly affects babies, continues to increase, Public Health France indicated on Wednesday.

In the week ending December 8, three new regions of France, Hauts-de-France, Normandy and Bourgogne-France-Comté, also entered the epidemic.

The rest of the mainland should soon follow, because almost all other regions - except Corsica - are in the so-called pre-epidemic phase. Overseas, Martinique is also in the pre-epidemic phase.

"The flu/flu syndrome indicators were increasing sharply in (community) medicine and in hospitals," the health agency summarized in its weekly bulletin on acute respiratory infections.

And "this increase concerned all age groups but particularly those under 15," she said.

While vaccination, particularly of the most vulnerable, appears to be lagging behind compared to previous years, Public Health France reaffirms that this "remains the best way to protect against influenza and COVID-19, particularly serious forms of these diseases."

This vaccination campaign also concerns Covid, which is currently at its lowest but with a level of circulation of the virus in wastewater increasing compared to previous weeks.

"With the end-of-year gatherings in sight, there is still time to get vaccinated," the agency insists, two weeks after the health authorities called for "increased mobilization."

For bronchiolitis, which mainly affects babies, all regions of mainland France, except Corsica, are in the epidemic phase.

Although the indicators were increasing in the week ending December 8, they remain at "a level lower than that observed during the pre-COVID-19 pandemic period," noted Public Health France.

The level of intensity for bronchiolitis thus remains “low in hospital settings,” according to the agency.

Cases of bronchiolitis had been rare in 2020-2021, in a context marked by multiple lockdowns, before rebounding strongly in the following three seasons.

Overseas, the bronchiolitis epidemic is now also affecting Mayotte, which has been added to Guyana, Guadeloupe and Martinique.

This season is marked by the deployment of two preventive treatments, Beyfortus from AstraZeneca and Sanofi – an antibody given directly to babies – and Abrysvo from Pfizer – a vaccine administered before birth to pregnant women.