Over the past week in the region:

The fifth week of the flu season, with the epidemic still on the rise in the region, marked by an increase in flu-like symptoms among reasons for consultations with SOS Médecins and visits to emergency departments. In contrast, there has been a sharp decrease in emergency department visits by people aged 75 and older, and more specifically a decline in acute lower respiratory tract infections (ALRTIs), also observed by SOS Médecins. These ABLIs had been highly prevalent during the previous three weeks, when the flu epidemic was just beginning and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) was at its usual peak of circulation. This observation highlights the significant impact on the elderly of the combined circulation of these two viruses. The virology laboratories at the two university hospitals have also confirmed an increase in RSV isolates among the elderly since mid-December. In the region’s nursing homes, 39 new ARI outbreaks have been reported over the past week, bringing the total number of outbreaks since early September to 155. The temporal and spatial trends indicate a shift of these outbreaks toward the western part of the region (Loire-Atlantique and Vendée), while few outbreaks have been reported in Mayenne.Mortality rates observed in the region during the first week of 2017 show a significant excess among people aged 65 and older, though less so than in the southeastern regions of France.