The epidemic of influenza settled in all regions of metropolitan France, except in Normandy, said Wednesday the health agency Public Health France. Part of Occitania, the epidemic was almost widespread last week, while Normandy remains in the pre-epidemic phase. It sparked more than 5,000 hospital emergency calls compared with 3,000 the previous week, according to the weekly bulletin released on Wednesday.
Of the patients who presented to the emergency department, 643 were hospitalized. These hospitalizations mainly concern 75 years or more (38%) and children under 5 years (19%). More generally, the proportion of hospitalizations for influenza or influenza-like illness among hospitalizations is 11 / 1,000, an increase compared to the previous week (7 / 1,000).
20 registered deaths. In the city, the ILI consultation rate increased from 123 per 100,000 population to 214 per 100,000, according to the Sentinel surveillance network. Since 1 November, 259 serious cases of influenza have been admitted to intensive care, including 51 last week. Of these, 20 deaths were recorded, all in adults, especially among those over 65 years of age and older (14 out of 20).
The health agency noted a "slight increase" in vaccine coverage from 41.3% to 42.9% (+ 1.6%) for all subjects at risk. To increase this coverage, the government has announced that all people for whom vaccination is recommended, or 12 million people, will be vaccinated in pharmacy in the fall of 2019.