Key Points

• The gastroenteritis outbreak is still ongoing.

• After a spike in Week 39, the number of positive samples for acute gastroenteritis (AGE) has been declining for two consecutive weeks but remains high, with a positivity rate of 69% in Week 41 (October 9–15, 2023).

• Rotavirus, Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC), and Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC), identified in the majority of biological samples analyzed, are the pathogens currently circulating and constitute the leading cause of acute gastroenteritis in children under 5 years of age.

• Sales of anti-diarrheal medications and oral rehydration solutions (ORS) in pharmacies are above the average of previous years.

• The number of emergency department visits for acute gastroenteritis is increasing, and the activity rate for this indicator remained significantly higher than those observed during the same period in the previous three years.

• Since the start of the AGE outbreak, 19 severe cases have been admitted to the intensive care unit at the Mayotte Hospital Center (CHM).

• While the occurrence of a gastroenteritis (GE) outbreak at this time of year is not unusual, the current water shortage in the department, coupled with a decline in adherence to basic hygiene measures due to the lack of water, has likely resulted in an outbreak that is more intense and longer-lasting than what was observed in previous years.