Key Points

During the winter season, from week 47 of 2019 to week 16 of 2020 (November 18, 2019, to April 13, 2020):

• The Oscour network recorded 96,713 emergency department visits for acute respiratory infections, representing 1.6% of all emergency department visits during the period

  • 44.4% of visits for acute abdominal pain involved children under the age of 5

• The 62 SOS Médecins associations reported 144,499 consultations for GEA, representing 8.7% of total consultations

• The Sentinelles Network estimated a cumulative incidence rate of 2,963 cases per 100,000 inhabitants (95% CI [2,907; 3,019])

  • The most affected age group was 0–4 years, with an incidence rate of 6,605 cases per 100,000 children aged 0–4 (95% CI [5,015; 8,197])

• Norovirus genotype GII.4 2012[P16] was predominant during the winter of 2019–2020, followed by genotype GII.17[P17]

• A significant peak in activity was observed in late December–early January, coinciding with a major resurgence of foodborne illness outbreaks linked to the consumption of oysters

• Following the first lockdown implemented in response to the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, very low levels of activity were recorded starting in week 13 of 2020