The flu epidemic, which had already spread throughout the metropolis in mid-January, intensified further at the end of the month, the public health agency announced on Wednesday, while the vaccination campaign was extended by one month. “The flu epidemic is intensifying in France”, summarized Public Health France in a weekly report, noting also that overseas, the epidemic continued in Guyana, Guadeloupe and Martinique but had ended in Mayotte.
The vaccination campaign extended until February 29
Between January 22 and 28, “all indicators were up sharply in community medicine and in hospitals in all age groups”, noted the agency. In this context, the vaccination campaign, which targets in particular those over 65, has been extended by one month by the health authorities. Initially scheduled until January 31, it must now last until February 29. On the other hand, the situation is calming for two other major respiratory epidemics: bronchiolitis, which mainly affects babies, and Covid.
The bronchiolitis epidemic no longer concerns any metropolitan region even if some remain at a post-epidemic stage. In terms of hospitalizations, it will not have reached the exceptionally high level of the 2022-2023 season, but will still have proven to be significant. As for Covid, which operates in frequent waves and not in an annual epidemic during the winter, the indicators fall or remain stable. In particular, “positivity rates have decreased in cities and in hospitals,” notes Public Health France.