News

Cold Snap

As of noon today, Météo France has maintained an orange alert for extreme cold in the Lozère department, along with 34 other French departments. The wind chill temperatures forecast by Météo France will drop to -14°C in Hérault, -16°C in Aude, -17°C in Gard and Pyrénées-Orientales, and as low as -25°C in Lozère.With the cold weather returning for the long term, widespread nausea and dizziness are warning signs of carbon monoxide poisoning.

Monitoring of overall activity (emergency room activity and SOS Médecins):

A few isolated spikes were observed, particularly in the Gard (hospitalizations, total first-time visits, and those involving children under 1 year of age) and Lozère, but activity levels quickly returned to baseline. SOS Médecins data show an increase in overall activity, including for those under 15 years of age.

Monitoring of seasonal illnesses:

• Influenza: the incidence rate defined by the Unified Network (Sentinelles + Grog) exceeded the epidemic threshold in the region during the first week. Emergency room visits increased slightly, and SOS Médecins associations saw higher demand. Intensive care units in the region reported two severe cases of influenza in week 4. These findings indicate an intensification of influenza virus circulation in the region.

• Gastroenteritis: Regional Sentinel data show that the incidence rate, although declining, remains above the national epidemic threshold. Visits to emergency departments remain frequent for this reason and are comparable to those observed during previous seasons.

• Bronchiolitis: A second peak was observed in week 2012-04, with case numbers once again exceeding the regional statistical threshold. The same trend had already been observed during the 2009-2010 season, with case numbers falling below the statistical threshold two weeks later.