The bronchiolitis epidemic, which is expected to be particularly strong this winter after a blank year due to Covid, now affects almost the entire metropolis (12 out of 13 regions) after reaching Brittany, the health authorities said Wednesday, November 3.
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In its weekly update on this respiratory disease which affects babies, the French public health agency notes a "
continued sharp increase in monitoring indicators for bronchiolitis in children under 2 years
".
With Brittany spent this week in the epidemic phase, only Corsica remains, for the metropolis, in the pre-epidemic phase.
Fragility of children under one year old
During the week of October 25, of the 4,189 children under two seen in the emergency room for bronchiolitis, 3,777 (90%) were under one year of age and 1,395 (33%) were hospitalized.
Among the hospitalized children, 1,289 (92%) were under one year of age.
Common and highly contagious, bronchiolitis causes babies to cough and difficult, fast, and wheezing.
Most of the time benign, it may however require a visit to the emergency room, or even hospitalization.
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Last winter, confinements and anti-Covid barrier gestures helped block all viruses, including RSV (respiratory syncytial virus), responsible for bronchiolitis.
The children were less infected than usual and therefore have less immunity, raising fears of a stronger epidemic this year.
This phenomenon could also concern other winter viruses, including those of influenza or gastroenteritis.
France launched its annual seasonal flu vaccination campaign ten days ago.
To prevent the spread of winter viruses, the health authorities insist on the need to continue barrier gestures (hand washing, masks, safety distance).