Key Highlights

• Nationally, the influenza epidemic threshold was crossed in week 13, marking the end of the epidemic. It lasted 9 weeks and affected approximately 2.9 million people. In Lorraine, the trend is similar, with indicators continuing to decline.

• There has been a very significant decrease in reports of severe influenza cases hospitalized in intensive care (2 cases reported in the past 5 weeks). The total number stands at 47 cases, including 9 deaths. Only 1 case remains hospitalized in intensive care. Surveillance in Lorraine has ended today, as the national surveillance period concluded in week 11.

• Regarding bronchiolitis, all indicators are returning to levels observed outside the winter season, and the number of RSV isolates from the virology laboratory at Nancy University Hospital is steadily decreasing. This winter, the impact of the bronchiolitis epidemic was less severe than in the two previous winter seasons and lasted from late November 2014 to late February 2015. This bulletin marks the end of surveillance for this condition.

• Over the past three weeks, a high number of cases of acute gastroenteritis has been recorded in emergency departments across Lorraine. In week 13, this condition accounted for nearly 2.5% of emergency department activity in the region, a share similar to that of influenza at the peak of the epidemic. This situation is not reflected in data from the SOS Médecins 54 association.

• Allergies and asthma remain within the expected range for this time of year.

• According to the National Aerobiological Surveillance Network (RNSA), the allergy risk is low to moderate depending on the department in Lorraine.