Bronchiolitis: the epidemic flares up again

When viruses keep their promises … The peaks of bronchiolitis expected at the end of 2015 are indeed here! In his weekly bulletin published on Wednesday, the Institut de Veille Sanitaire (InVS) reports a new increase in the number of emergency room visits and the number of SOS Médecins visits for this acute viral infection that affects the bronchioles (small bronchi) of infants and young children.

Thus, last week, French hospitals (1) recorded around 5,124 passages for bronchiolitis (21% of total passages), including 1,632 hospitalizations (43% of hospitalizations). This is 11% more than the previous week!

The epidemic more intense than last year

In addition, the association of liberal emergency physicians SOS Médecins totaled around 894 visits in mainland France (12% of consultations), or 21% more than the previous week.

In the end, the epidemiologists of the InVS even write that currently “the activity of the bronchiolitis virus is more intense compared to that of the 2 previous seasons in the same week”.

Source: InVS

In this epidemic which is blazing in particular in Languedoc-Roussillion, it should be noted however good news, since the peak was crossed in Ile-de-France and in other regions of the North, West and South-West of France. Soon the end of worries for young parents? Not quite, puique the meeting has just entered the epidemic, concludes the InVS.

Source: InVS

The other evils of winter are coming

Finally, the other winter ailments are also starting to arrive in France, with an increase ininfluenza activity in the south of France, particularly in the Languedoc-Roussillon and Midi-Pyrénées regions. The activity of hospital emergency services for acute gastroenteritis (AGE) is also increasing.

(1) In 550 departments representing around 89% of emergency visits in mainland France

(2) Based on 60 associations representing 97% of SOS Médecins associations