Key Points

Mortality: Mortality rates have been significantly higher than expected since week 52 of 2016, particularly among people aged 75 and older. Data for week 6 (February 6–12) are still incomplete; however, the observed number of deaths in the region continues to decline, falling below the alert threshold.

Emergency department visits by vulnerable populations: activity among children under 1 year of age is declining but remains high, above alert thresholds, while activity among people aged 75 and older continues to decline and remains below the alert threshold.

Virology: Among the 189 samples testing positive for respiratory viruses from the laboratories at the Bordeaux, Limoges, and Poitiers university hospitals, the majority tested positive for influenza A (17 in Bordeaux, 5 in Limoges, and 20 in Poitiers). We also note the detection of 30 coronaviruses (11 in Bordeaux, 3 in Limoges, and 16 in Poitiers) and 53 respiratory syncytial viruses (12 in Bordeaux, 6 in Limoges, and 35 in Poitiers).

Gastroenteritis: activity is stable according to data from SOS Médecins and Oscour®, with values remaining close to the alert threshold for the latter data source.

Bronchiolitis: activity remains high. Bronchiolitis activity in emergency departments continues to decline, while an uptick in SOS Médecins activity is observed in S07. The AquiRespi network treated 131 children during the last shift. The number of RSV cases detected by the virology laboratories at the Bordeaux and Limoges University Hospitals is stable or declining (12 and 6, respectively), and rising at the virology laboratory of the Poitiers University Hospital (35). Note that bronchiolitis activity at the Poitiers University Hospital remains high. Nationally, the decline in bronchiolitis activity in emergency departments continues, and a stabilization in SOS Médecins consultations is observed.

Influenza and influenza-like illnesses: post-epidemic situation for the NA region, with influenza activity sharply decreasing in hospital emergency departments and for SOS Médecins, though values remain above thresholds. The proportion of hospitalizations following emergency department visits for influenza is trending downward (23.7% in Week 06-2017 to 22.6% in Week 07; 83.3% among those aged 65 and older). The number of severe influenza cases continues to rise (81 cases since November 1, 2016, with 14 deaths). Five clusters of acute respiratory infections (ARI) have been reported in long-term care facilities since the start of week 07-2017 (compared to 9 clusters the previous week), bringing the total number of reported clusters to 207; the number of deaths reported following these clusters is 105. Nationally, the end of the epidemic is confirmed, with nearly all regions in the post-epidemic phase, both in terms of emergency department visits and outpatient activity.

Notifiable Diseases (ND): Note that there have been 14 reports of hepatitis A since the beginning of 2017.