Key Points

• The situation in Occitanie is part of a national and European context marked by a resurgence of pertussis at a high intensity level that has persisted over the past few months, following very low circulation from 2020 to 2022 (Santé publique France, Epidemiological Bulletin in France of July 29, 2024, ECDC).

• Despite significant weekly variability, there has been a downward trend over the past 4 weeks in the number of emergency department visits for suspected pertussis. These visits primarily involve children (those under 15 and under 1 year of age account for 73% and 29% of visits, respectively, since early 2024), with a higher hospitalization rate among those under 1 year of age (71%).

• The number of suspected pertussis cases seen by the region’s four SOS Médecins associations (Montpellier, Toulouse, Nîmes, and Perpignan) has stabilized at a high level (between 30 and 50 cases per week) over the past eight weeks.

• Stability in the number of PCR-confirmed pertussis cases in July and August 2024, according to data from three laboratories (Biomnis and Cerba).

• Stability in the number of reports to the ARS Occitanie by healthcare professionals of isolated or clustered pertussis cases over the past 8 weeks. Since early 2024, reports have involved nearly all departments.

• Vaccination coverage with the hexavalent vaccine among infants born in 2022 and aged 21 months who received 3 doses of the vaccine was over 91% in Occitanie, close to the national level (Pertussis Epidemiological Update of 06/28/2024).