The pace is slowing down, but the progress is still there.
The flu epidemic which affects the whole of France continues to progress, according to figures published this Wednesday by Public Health France.
The flu epidemic is still progressing, at particularly high levels for this time of year.
Last week, the number of emergency room visits and those of hospitalizations for flu-like illness jumped 52% and 75%, respectively, compared to the previous week.
[# Flu]
Continued increase in flu indicators in all age groups.
👉 To view the 12/28 bulletin https://t.co/Lihw83OLMz pic.twitter.com/6Wo7tYDWbg
— SantépubliqueFrance (@SantePubliqueFr) December 28, 2022
Moreover, Public Health France points out that the number of hospitalizations for influenza reached during the previous week its “highest” value over the entire period 2010-2023.
The number of deaths due to influenza also appears to be increasing, since it reached 2.8% of deaths certified electronically, against 1.3% the previous week.
A slight decrease in the youngest
The increases in the number of cases recorded are lower than in the previous week, but are a reminder that the epidemic peak of the flu has still not been crossed.
The incidence rate of the number of consultations for flu-like illness also increased by 29%, still compared to the previous week.
The epidemic is also progressing "in all age groups", notes the bulletin of Public Health France, with very high levels of activity in city medicine and in hospitals, particularly among 15-64 year olds. .
All regions of France have been in the epidemic phase, the highest level of alert, for two weeks.
Among 5-14-year-olds, however, the indicators seem to be stabilizing or even decreasing slightly.
At the same time, nearly 160 deaths "with a mention of influenza as a morbid condition having directly caused or contributed to the death" were recorded last week.
Such a high number had not been reached for at least five years.