Heat Wave in France Since Sunday, June 28, 2015Many French departments experienced a heat wave last week. Following an analysis of the situation conducted by Météo-France, the agency issued an orange heat wave alert for 26 departments and a yellow alert for 40 departments on Monday, June 29, 2015. As of July 7, 2015, 13 departments remain under an orange alert, and 17 have maintained a Level 3 prefectural heat wave alert procedure. In Midi-Pyrénées, three departments were placed under an orange alert: Lot, Tarn, and Tarn-et-Garonne. Since July 7, all departments in Midi-Pyrénées have returned to seasonal monitoring status. Nationally, no health impact has been observed in overall indicators (emergency room visits and SOS Médecins data) for all causes, all ages, and for those aged 75 and older. Specific indicators related to heat show increased activity linked to the heat wave. At the regional level, the same trends have been observed.

Measles Outbreak in Alsace Since Mid-AprilMeasles continues to circulate in France. An outbreak has been reported in Alsace since mid-April, as indicated in the latest epidemiological update from the InVS dated June 1, 2015. 199 cases of measles have been reported since the beginning of the year, including more than 150 in Alsace. Among the reported cases, 9 were hospitalized, underscoring the severity of the disease.There is no specific treatment for measles, only symptomatic treatments (for fever, runny nose, etc.), hence the importance of vaccination. Increasing vaccination coverage helps protect not only those who are vaccinated but also vulnerable individuals (infants under one year of age, pregnant women, and immunocompromised individuals).