According to Public Health France, bronchiolitis is having a “rapid and earlier start” this year. There is a risk of circulating more than normal this winter, explanations.
Bronchiolitis is a common disease in infants under two years of age. It causes coughing and difficult breathing, symptoms that can be impressive. While the virus is harmless in most cases, it sometimes leads to an emergency room. In its weekly epidemiological bulletin, Public Health France reveals “indicators in favor of a rapid and earlier onset of virus circulation compared to other years.“The report states that Ile-de-France and Grand-Est have gone into” epidemic phase “, in the week of October 4 to 10. The other metropolitan regions as well as Guyana are in” pre-epidemic phase ” The week before, they were under the banner of “no alarm.” A worrying increase in no time.
According to LCI, this phenomenon is due to the multiple confinements that we have known since March 2020. “Because of the barrier gestures, the children were not confronted with the virus, so their immune system was a little on standby. With the deconfinement, with a resumption of more normal life, it is the total explosion“, explains Jean-Marie Camus, physiotherapist, at TF1, as LCI reports. Another physiotherapist, Eric Martin, warns on TF1: “It’s going to be a phenomenal year. “
1,779 children under two in the emergency room
On the report of Public Health France, the figures are edifying. During the week of October 4 to 10, 2021, 1,779 children under the age of two were seen in the emergency room for bronchiolitis. Of these, 36% or 643 were hospitalized and 88% (1,568) were less than one year old. The document nevertheless specifies that these data should be put into perspective: associations of the SOS Médecins network have been on strike since September 27, 2021 and activities have only partially resumed since then.
To prevent an infant from catching the virus, LCI warns: if you have a cold, you stay away from the baby, because in the little ones it turns into bronchiolitis. It is also better to avoid taking a newborn baby on public transport and supermarkets. On its website, Santé Publique France dedicate a page on the preventive actions to adopt to protect your child.