After a lull linked to school holidays, bronchiolitis is making a comeback in France, only Corsica seems spared.
- A new increase in bronchiolitis activity was recorded in France, after a decrease linked to school holidays.
- All French regions are in the epidemic phase with the exception of Corsica.
- On the other hand, the incidence rate of gastroenteritis remains at a low level compared to those usually observed during this period.
Santé Publique France warns parents in its latest report on acute respiratory infections: “bronchiolitis activity in children under two years old was increasing in the city and in hospitals”after a decrease linked to school holidays.
Bronchiolitis: an increase in cases observed in France
SOS Médecins medical procedures, emergency room visits and hospitalizations… Lset of indicators of bronchiolitis, caused mainly by respiratory syncytial virus (VRS)are on the rise in France for the 46th week of the year (i.e. from November 13 to 19, 2023). “The positivity rates of samples taken for the VRS were increasing in town and in hospitals”specifies communicated. In addition, hospitalizations after going to the emergency room for bronchiolitis in patients under 2 years old increased by 3 points compared to the previous week.
With this increase in cases, the bronchiolitis epidemic is now very present in mainland France. “Following the passage of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes and Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur regions into the epidemic phase in week 46, all French regions are in an epidemic, except Corsica”indicates Santé Publique France in its report. Overseas, three regions (Guadeloupe, Martinique and Guyana) remained in the epidemic phase while Reunion and Mayotte were spared by the virus.
Gastroenteritis: a low activity level
If bronchiolitis gives parents and health professionals in France a hard time, gastroenteritis remains discreet. In his weekly bulletin on digestive disease published this Thursday, November 23, 2023Public Health France specifies that the “Acute diarrhea incidence rate reported by the Sentinels network is at a low level compared to those usually observed during this period”. It was, in fact, only 79 cases per 100,000 inhabitants.
The proportion of SOS Médecins consultations for symptoms of acute gastroenteritis rose to 5.5% between November 13 and 19. She is like this “stable for several weeks and close to historic minimums”. Same observation for visits to the emergency room. At 1.1%, the rate is similar to previous weeks.
No region in France has high activity regarding acute gastroenteritis viruses.
