Key Points

Mortality: Mortality has been significantly higher than expected since week 52 of 2016, with an estimated excess mortality of 21.6% in week 04 of 2017 (January 23–29), representing a slight increase compared to the previous week (20.9% estimated excess mortality in week 03 following data consolidation). This excess particularly affects people aged 75 and older. Data for Week 5 (January 30–February 5) are still incomplete; however, we note a continued decrease in the observed number of deaths at both the national and regional levels.

Emergency department visits by vulnerable populations: activity among children under 1 year of age is stable but remains high, above alert thresholds, while activity among people aged 75 and older continues to decline and has fallen below the alert threshold.

Virology: Among the 187 samples testing positive for respiratory viruses from the laboratories at the Bordeaux, Limoges, and Poitiers university hospitals, the majority tested positive for influenza A (22 in Bordeaux, 5 in Limoges, and 35 in Poitiers). We also note the detection of 28 coronaviruses (12 in Bordeaux, 7 in Limoges, and 9 in Poitiers) and 40 respiratory syncytial viruses (14 in Bordeaux, 5 in Limoges, and 26 in Poitiers).

Gastroenteritis: Activity is stable according to data from SOS Médecins and Oscour®, with values remaining close to the alert threshold for the latter data source.

Bronchiolitis: The bronchiolitis epidemic continues to decline. Indicators of bronchiolitis activity in emergency departments and at SOS Médecins are down. Approximately half of bronchiolitis cases were hospitalized after visiting the emergency department (52%). The AquiRespi network treated 162 children during the last shift. The number of RSV cases detected by the virology laboratories at the Bordeaux and Poitiers University Hospitals is decreasing (14 and 26, respectively), and remains stable at the Limoges University Hospital virology laboratory. Note that bronchiolitis activity at the Limoges University Hospital remains high. Nationally, the decline in the number of emergency room visits and SOS Médecins consultations for bronchiolitis continues. The end of the epidemic has been declared in the Hauts-de-France region.

Influenza and influenza-like illnesses: epidemic situation in the NA region, with declining influenza activity in hospital emergency departments and for SOS Médecins, though values remain above thresholds. The proportion of hospitalizations following emergency department visits for influenza is trending downward (24.1% in Week 05-2017 to 23.7% in Week 06; 60.6% among those aged 65 and older). The number of severe influenza cases continues to rise (76 cases since November 1, 2016, with 13 deaths). Nine clusters of acute respiratory infections (ARI) have been reported in long-term care facilities since the start of week 06-2017 (compared to 20 clusters the previous week), bringing the total number of reported clusters to 202; the number of deaths reported following these clusters is 94. Nationally, the epidemic is in a downward phase in all regions of mainland France, both in terms of hospitalizations of people aged 65 and older following visits to emergency departments and in terms of SOS Médecins activity, with three regions having entered the post-epidemic phase.

Reportable Diseases (MDO): no unusual events in the region during week 06-2017.