Situation in the Basse-Normandie and Haute-Normandie regions

Surveillance of influenza deaths and severe cases Since week 2011-44, 4 severe cases of influenza have been reported to Cire Normandie as part of the surveillance system established through the network of 24 intensive care, critical care, and continuous care units (adult and pediatric) in Lower Normandy and Upper Normandy. Of these severe cases, all reported in Upper Normandy, 2 have been discharged from the intensive care unit or critical care unit, 1 remains hospitalized, and 1 has died. For these 4 severe cases, laboratory results identified the (H1N1)pdm09 strain in 1 case and the H3N2 strain in 3 cases.

Unified Network of Sentinel Physicians and the GROG in Lower NormandyThe increase in the influenza incidence rate continued in week 2012-09, rising from 193 cases per 100,000 inhabitants in week 2012-08 to 284 cases per 100,000 inhabitants in week 2012-09. The Grog network in Lower Normandy reports that the epidemic threshold has been exceeded for the fourth consecutive week.

Data from the virology laboratory at Caen University Hospital: In week 2012-09, 34 of the 153 samples analyzed tested positive for influenza A, or 22%.

Activity of emergency departments participating in the Oscour® network and the SOS Médecins associations in Caen, Cherbourg, and Rouen: In week 2012-09, the number and proportion of influenza-coded diagnoses reached 0.87% of the activity of emergency departments participating in the Oscour® network. These figures remain comparable to those of week 2012-08. Regarding the SOS Médecins associations in Caen, Cherbourg, and Rouen, the number and proportion of influenza diagnoses continued to rise in week 2012-09 (Figure 4): cases involving influenza or influenza-like illness accounted for 9.1% of SOS Médecins activity (compared to 8.6% in week 2012-08 and 7.1% in week 2012-07).

Clustered cases of acute respiratory infections (ARI) in nursing homes: The number of clustered ARI cases in nursing homes has reached 4 in Upper Normandy and 8 in Lower Normandy since February 12.

Although indicators are trending downward in most metropolitan regions, an overall review of regional indicators suggests that the increase in influenza diagnoses that began in week 2012-5 is continuing in both regions.