Key Points

Mortality: Mortality has been significantly higher than expected for the third consecutive week, with an estimated excess of 18.2% in Week 02-2017 (January 9–15, 2017) and a downward trend compared to the previous week (an estimated excess of 20% in Week 01). This excess particularly affects people aged 75 and older. Data for Week 3 (January 16–22, 2017) are still incomplete; however, a continued decrease in the observed number of deaths is noted at both the national and regional levels.

Emergency department visits by vulnerable populations: activity among those aged 75 and older and those under 1 year of age remains high, above alert thresholds, particularly in connection with winter epidemics.

Virology: Among the 269 samples testing positive for respiratory viruses from the laboratories at the Bordeaux, Limoges, and Poitiers university hospitals, the majority tested positive for influenza A (34 in Bordeaux, 19 in Limoges, and 55 in Poitiers). We also note the detection of 31 rhinoviruses/enteroviruses (10 in Bordeaux, 2 in Limoges, and 19 in Poitiers) and 64 respiratory syncytial viruses (20 in Bordeaux, 9 in Limoges, and 35 in Poitiers).

Gastroenteritis: activity is on the rise according to Oscour® data, with values above the alert threshold. The decline continues according to SOS Médecins data.

Bronchiolitis: activity remains at epidemic levels in the region. Emergency department visits for bronchiolitis and SOS Médecins activity related to bronchiolitis are stable compared to the previous week (15% of emergency department visits and 7.7% of SOS Médecins cases among children under 2 years of age). Activity remains above the thresholds. The proportion of bronchiolitis cases requiring hospitalization after an emergency department visit has decreased slightly compared to the previous week (47%). The resurgence in activity within the AquiRespi network observed since Week 02 continues, with 198 cases treated during the last on-call shift. Furthermore, RSV circulation remains very active, with 20, 9, and 35 RSV cases detected in Week 04 by the virology laboratories at the Bordeaux, Limoges, and Poitiers university hospitals, respectively. Nationally, a slight decrease in the number of visits and hospitalizations in emergency departments and SOS Médecins consultations has been observed. The PACA region has entered the post-epidemic phase, and the end of the epidemic has been declared in the Île-de-France region.

Influenza and influenza-like illnesses: epidemic situation for the NA region, with increasing influenza activity in hospital emergency departments and at SOS Médecins, with values above the thresholds. The proportion of hospitalizations following emergency department visits for influenza has decreased from 25.5% in Week 3 of 2017 to 24.7% in Week 4 (73% among those aged 65 and older). The number of severe influenza cases continues to rise (65 cases since November 1, 2016, with 9 deaths). The number of new clusters of acute respiratory infections (ARI) reported in long-term care facilities since the start of week 04-2017 continues to decline (15 clusters compared to 31 the previous week); however, the number of reported deaths has risen sharply, with 21 new deaths reported, bringing the total number of deaths to 51. Nationally, the outbreak continues in all regions of mainland France, although there has been a decrease in hospitalizations of people aged 65 and older following visits to emergency departments.

Notifiable Diseases (ND): no unusual events in the region during week 3-2017.