Summary

An outbreak of viral conjunctivitis is currently underway in the French West Indies.

Indeed, routine public health surveillance indicators show that the outbreaks are continuing and that there has been a significant increase in cases of infectious conjunctivitis in our territories over the past seven weeks. Samples collected in Guadeloupe detected enterovirus, and those collected in Martinique detected the simultaneous circulation of enterovirus and adenovirus. Characterization of the enteroviruses by the National Reference Center for Enteroviruses has identified Coxsackievirus A24v, which causes highly contagious acute conjunctivitis. To date, there have been no reports indicating an unusual occurrence of severe cases.

In Guadeloupe, the outbreak began in Marie-Galante and has since spread to Grande-Terre and, more recently, to Basse-Terre.

In Martinique, the outbreak, which was initially concentrated in the central and southern parts of the island, has since spread throughout the entire territory.

In Saint Martin, the outbreak began two weeks ago, while the epidemiological situation regarding conjunctivitis in Saint Barthélemy remains stable.