It is one of the infections that worries the pediatric services.
The bronchiolitis epidemic continues to grow strongly in mainland France.
The health agency Public Health France (SPF) explains that, last week, the indicators are once again on the rise.
It reports a "sharp increase in emergency room visits and hospitalizations for bronchiolitis in children under two years old, at high levels".
Regarding the distribution of cases in the territory, the entire metropolis continues to be affected at an epidemic level.
Overseas, while Guyana was already in a pre-epidemic stage the previous week, it was joined by Reunion.
/ Public health France
5,098 children under two went to the emergency room between November 22 and 28 because of bronchiolitis.
“4,577 (90%) were under one year old and 1,840 (36%) were hospitalized.
Among the 1,840 children hospitalized, 1,701 (92%) were under one year of age, ”explains SPF.
From one week to the next, this represents a 41% increase in emergency room visits for this reason.
Hospitalizations are up 42%.
In total, 19% of visits to pediatric emergencies concern bronchiolitis;
39% of hospitalizations after a visit to the pediatric emergency room are linked to cases of bronchiolitis.
Bronchiolitis, often mild, causes coughing and difficult breathing.
An emergency visit, or even hospitalization, is sometimes necessary.
Immune deficiency
After a 2020-2021 winter marked by confinements linked to the Covid-19 pandemic and a remarkable weakness in the number of bronchiolitis patients, emergency room visits and hospitalizations this year already exceed the peaks of the 2019 epidemic. 2020.
The authorities had said they feared the epidemic would be quite virulent this year.
Confinements and barrier actions greatly reduced the presence of winter viruses last year.
The deficit of immune defenses has repercussions this year and could concern other diseases such as influenza and gastroenteritis.
