Key Points

• In Week 52 (December 23–29, 2024), compared to the previous week, emergency department visits increased among children under 2 years of age (+12%, or 3,491 more visits) and among adults aged 75 and older (+7%, or 3,997 more visits). Hospitalizations following visits remained stable among children under 2 and adults aged 75 and older, and decreased in other age groups.

• The increase in visits for influenza/flu-like illness continues across all age groups (+53%, or +5,680 visits). Most other seasonal respiratory indicators are also on the rise, particularly among adults. Notably, there has been an increase in visits:

  • all ages for ENT infections (+14%, or +2,720 visits) and acute bronchitis (+33%, or +987 visits);

  • among adults for pneumonia (+18%, or +1,142 visits), asthma attacks (+17%, or +270 visits), and suspected COVID-19 (+7%, or +53 visits);

  • among children for cough (+26%, or +493 visits).

• Among children under 2 years of age, visits for bronchiolitis have declined for the second consecutive week (-7%, or -91 visits).

• Indicators related to acute gastrointestinal conditions are also on the rise: vomiting (+19%, or +268 visits) and acute gastroenteritis (+34%, or +515 visits) among adults; acute gastroenteritis (+5%, or +58 visits) and specific abdominal pain (+30%, or +133 visits) among children under 2 years of age, and dehydration among children aged 2–14 (+35%, or +19 visits).

• Among other indicators, there was an increase in visits for conjunctivitis across all age groups (+25%, or +289 visits), for isolated fever in children under 2 years of age (+10%, or +228 visits) and in those aged 15–74 (+16%, or +169 visits), and for skin and subcutaneous infections among those aged 15–74 (+5%, or 222 more visits).