Key Findings

• In Week 53, activity related to influenza and influenza-like illnesses has stabilized compared to the previous week in emergency departments, SOS Médecins associations, and the Sentinelles network. However, activity remains low in the Lorraine region, as well as at the national level and across Europe.

• Since the update on December 24, no new clusters of acute respiratory infections have been reported in senior care facilities in Lorraine. Nine reports have been made since September 1, 2015.

• In Lorraine, there has been a slight decrease in bronchiolitis-related activity in emergency departments, bringing it closer to the trend observed during the 2013–2014 season. In week 53, there were 195 emergency department visits, with a hospitalization rate of 34%. This activity accounts for 18% of all diagnoses in children under 2 years of age. Nevertheless, bronchiolitis-related activity within the SOS Médecins association in Meurthe-et-Moselle continues to rise. In week 53, this condition accounted for 15% of their activity among children under 2 years of age.

• According to the virology laboratory at Nancy University Hospital, the number of respiratory viruses remained stable in week 53. The virus identified was almost exclusively respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).

• In Lorraine, activity related to gastroenteritis in the emergency departments of the OSCOUR® network has decreased slightly compared to the previous week. With 137 emergency department visits in week 53, this activity accounted for 1.2% of all diagnoses in emergency departments. Regarding the SOS Médecins association in Meurthe-et-Moselle, an increase in diagnoses has been observed. In week 53, the association’s physicians made 111 diagnoses of gastroenteritis and diarrhea, which accounts for nearly 8.4% of all diagnoses.

• Since the update on December 24, only one new cluster of acute gastroenteritis cases in a senior care facility has been reported in Lorraine, bringing the total number of reports since September 1, 2015, to nine.

• The number of positive samples for circulating enteric viruses remains stable, according to data from the Nancy University Hospital.

• During weeks 52 and 53, six episodes of carbon monoxide poisoning (suspected or confirmed) were reported in Lorraine.