Health Minister François Braun spoke on Wednesday of a "week of all dangers" for the French health system faced with a "triple epidemic" of Covid-19, bronchiolitis and influenza, with for the latter an "explosion of case ".

The Minister paid a visit on Wednesday morning to the Annecy Genevois hospital center (Haute-Savoie), affected, he said, like the entire French system by difficulties, in particular by a lack of staff, further "increased with the proximity to Switzerland", where many French caregivers choose to practice.

Explosion of flu cases

"In this triple epidemic, we are coming to a slightly calmer phase with regard to Covid and bronchiolitis", he explained to the press: the virus "circulates less" for the coronavirus, while the level of infection remains "very high" for bronchiolitis, "but is improving".

“On the other hand”, for the flu, “there is an explosion of cases, with also serious cases, which mean that the intensive care units in a global way are saturated”, he underlined.

"This week is a bit of a week of all dangers, but the mobilization of personnel is absolutely complete and the system manages to hold up," he said.


The Minister also deplored the strike movement of general practitioners at the national level, and liberal nurses in Haute-Savoie, finding it "particularly unwelcome in this period of extreme difficulty for the health system".

François Braun said he "feared an epidemic rebound" in January

“My door has always remained open and it will remain so to solve the problems”, added François Braun, who notably visited the emergency department and participated in a round table with hospital officials and caregivers, directors of other health establishments and elected officials.

Reminding all French people of the need to be careful during this holiday season marked by reunions, François Braun confided in “fearing an epidemic rebound” in January.

"So vaccination is still relevant with regard to the flu, as well as wearing a mask in enclosed places and washing hands of course in enclosed places and where there are a lot of people," he said. He insists.

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  • Francois Braun

  • Flu

  • Health Minister

  • Covid-19

  • Bronchiolitis

  • Health