The bronchiolitis epidemic, whose favorite victims are babies, has just arrived in mainland France as well as in Guadeloupe and Martinique.
- The bronchiolitis epidemic has taken hold in Ile de France, Guadeloupe and Martinique.
- In this 43rd week of 2024, Brittany has been classified as pre-epidemic.
- Epidemic indicators were increasing in the city as well as in the hospital. But for the moment, the levels are lower than those observed the previous three years at the same period.
Acute bronchiolitis, an epidemic respiratory disease mainly due to respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), was not long in coming. In his weekly report monitoring winter respiratory infections published on October 30, 2024, Santé Publique France reveals the passage of Île-de-France, Guadeloupe and Martinique into an epidemic phase of bronchiolitis.
Bronchiolitis: 1,552 visits to the emergency room
“Bronchiolitis indicators were at their baseline level in most regions of France, except in Île-de-France which went into epidemic and Brittany which went into pre-epidemic this week. In the departments and regions overseas, Guadeloupe and Martinique also experienced an epidemic this week.specify the authors of the report.
They specify that syndromic indicators linked to bronchiolitis were increasing in the city as well as in the hospital. However, they remain “at levels lower than those observed in the three years prior to the same period”. In detail, 1,552 children under the age of two were treated in the emergency room for this respiratory infection between October 21 and 27, i.e. 7% of visits in this age group (vs. 6.3% the previous week) . Health professionals also hospitalized 497 children. This represents 16.3% of hospitalizations for this population, an increase of 3 points compared to the previous week.
In addition, 17 small patients were admitted to the intensive care unit, or 30.4% of all hospitalizations in the intensive care unit in this age group (vs. 29.5% the previous week).
Bronchiolitis epidemic: how to protect your baby?
If bronchiolitis is primarily caused by respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), “other viruses likely to induce bronchiolitis are currently circulating in France, in particular rhinoviruses/enteroviruses”recalls Santé Publique France in its press release. Several measures can help protect toddlers.
It is advisable to:
- wash your hands before approaching an infant: washing must last at least 30 seconds and be carried out with soap and water. It is also possible to use a hydroalcoholic solution if it is not possible to wash your hands;
- avoid confined public places such as public transport or shopping centers when possible: the child could risk being in contact with people with colds in these places;
- do not share unwashed bottles, pacifiers or cutlery;
- ventilate the bedroom and the rooms frequented by the infant: the windows must be open at least 10 minutes per day;
- do not smoke near babies and children;
- regularly clean objects with which the infant comes into contact (games, pacifiers, etc.).
In addition, parents can count on two treatments to protect their baby: the Pfizer Abrysvo vaccine, administered before birth to the pregnant woman, then the Beyfortus preventive treatment.
