Key Points

• Flu: For the fourth consecutive week, all indicators tracked at the regional level are rising sharply (calls to SOS Médecins, emergency room visits, positive flu test results from virology laboratories); the same trend is observed at the national level. The circulating B and A(H1N1) viruses are identical to the vaccine strain, which is not the case for all A(H3N2) viruses. Nationally, the predominance of an A(H3N2) virus variant compared to the vaccine strain has been confirmed. The vaccine’s efficacy against this virus, as assessed in North America, is very low to nonexistent. These factors suggest a greater impact on the elderly and vulnerable populations than in the previous season, with a higher risk of outbreaks occurring more frequently in communities of elderly individuals.

• Bronchiolitis: Emergency room visits remain high; the outbreak is not yet over. The SOS Médecins associations in the region (Nîmes and Perpignan) have again seen slightly more children with bronchiolitis. Nationally, emergency room visits are stable, and the outbreak is following the same pattern as in previous years.

• Gastroenteritis: At the regional level, there has been a further increase in emergency department visits, which vary significantly from week to week (the same trend is observed in Sentinelles data, which are not consolidated). SOS Médecins calls are trending downward. The same trends are observed at the national level.

• Mortality: An excess mortality rate was observed in early 2015 in France, primarily among those over 85 years of age. This was seen in many regions, including Languedoc-Roussillon, during the first three weeks of the year. Current figures have returned to normal (below the statistical threshold calculated for the region). A detailed analysis will be conducted once the data has been consolidated. However, this type of signal highlights the value of advancing electronic death certification, which provides real-time access to medical causes of death.

• Pneumonia: Emergency room visits are rising again, with the hospitalization rate for this disease exceeding 50%.