Key Points

• In week 50 (December 12–18, 2022), emergency department visits among those aged 75 and older continued to rise slightly (+5%, or +2,680 visits), while hospitalizations following these visits stabilized. In other age groups, both indicators remained stable.

• Influenza/flu-like illness is once again the diagnosis with the sharpest increase over the past week across all age groups: 12,512 cases in Week 50 vs. 6,787 in Week 49, representing an 84% increase across all ages, with increases ranging from +73% among 2- to 14-year-olds to +120% among children under 2. Influenza accounts for 7% of total emergency department activity among children aged 2–14 and is already at a level higher than the peaks reached during the 2021–2022 and 2019–2020 seasons.

• Regarding other respiratory indicators:

  • They are all on the rise among adults, particularly among those aged 75 and older, with higher levels of emergency department visits and hospitalizations following visits compared to previous years, especially for acute bronchitis (+23%), ENT conditions (+12%), pneumonia (+11%), dyspnea/respiratory failure in those aged 75 and older (+9%), and asthma (+7%); the number of visits for suspected COVID-19 continues to rise only among those aged 75 and older (+8%, or +205 visits).

  • The decline continues among children, particularly among those under 2 years of age, with a second week of decline in bronchiolitis (down 24% and 23%, respectively, or 1,484 visits and 601 hospitalizations), but there is a resurgence in visits for cough (+13% among 2- to 14-year-olds). Finally, against the backdrop of rising non-invasive and invasive Group A Streptococcus infections, there has been an increase in visits for scarlet fever (+22%, or +63 visits).

• Among other indicators, regarding gastrointestinal issues, although levels remain low, we observe a continued rise among children and adults: for gastroenteritis (+10%) and for vomiting among 2- to 14-year-olds and 15- to 74-year-olds (+10%).