Situation in the Lower Normandy and Upper Normandy regions

Upper Normandy Bronchiolitis Network

• The number of calls handled by the Upper Normandy bronchiolitis network (number of appointments made) decreased gradually from week 2011-50 to week 2012-12 before rising slightly again in weeks 2012-13 and 2012-14.

• The network’s seasonal surveillance ended in week 2012-15.

Activity of emergency departments in Lower Normandy and Upper Normandy participating in the Oscour® network

• The proportion of emergency department visits coded as bronchiolitis among children under 2 years of age has gradually decreased since week 2012-01, stabilizing at less than 5% of visits for the third consecutive week.

• In week 2012-16, the proportion of emergency department visits coded as bronchiolitis among children under 2 years of age was 4.34%.

Activity of the SOS Médecins associations in Caen, Cherbourg, and Rouen

• Between weeks 2012-10 and 2012-15, the proportion of SOS Médecins activity related to bronchiolitis in children under 2 years of age remained below 5%, fluctuating between 2.56% and 4.95%.

• The number of cases handled in week 2012-16 related to bronchiolitis in children under 2 years of age decreased compared to previous weeks, reaching 1.06%.

An overall review of data from emergency departments and SOS Médecins associations in Lower Normandy and Upper Normandy indicates that activity related to seasonal bronchiolitis in children under 2 years of age continues to decline in both regions, gradually reaching the levels recorded before the winter outbreak, which means that the bronchiolitis outbreak is coming to an end.

The seasonal bronchiolitis epidemic began in week 2011-45, peaked in week 2011-49, and then gradually declined starting in week 2012-01. A similar pattern was observed during the same period in the 2008-2009 and 2010-2011 seasons.

This issue, dedicated to the surveillance of bronchiolitis in infants, is the last of the season. Monitoring of bronchiolitis indicators will nevertheless continue to be carried out by Cire Normandie in Lower Normandy and Upper Normandy.

Cire Normandie thanks all healthcare professionals who contributed to this surveillance for the quality of the data provided, particularly the staff of emergency departments participating in the Oscour® network, the SOS Médecins associations, and the Upper Normandy bronchiolitis network.