Key Points

In Week 49 (December 5–11, 2022), total activity at SOS Médecins clinics increased among adults (+10%, or +4,869 visits) and among 2- to 14-year-olds (+11%, or +2,951 visits), while it decreased among children under 2 years of age.

Influenza/flu-like illness was once again the diagnosis with the sharpest increase over the past week across all age groups (+79%, or +5,991 cases), reaching levels far higher than in previous years. To a lesser extent, there was also an increase in cases due to suspected COVID-19 among children (+13%, or +78 cases) and among those aged 75 and older (+23%, or +65 cases).

Among adults, there was an increase in all seasonal indicators, particularly respiratory conditions, with a rise in pneumonia (+28%, or +160 cases), viral syndrome (+26%, or +234 cases), bronchitis (+16%, or +501 cases), ENT conditions (+11%, or +1,418 cases), and among those aged 15–74 for asthma attacks (+10%, or +73 cases) and gastroenteritis (+7%, or +141 cases).

Among children, there was an increase in visits for gastroenteritis (+19%, or +241 visits), though at levels well below those observed in previous years. Among 2- to 14-year-olds, there was an increase in visits for viral syndrome and isolated fever (up 18% and 16%, respectively, or +131 and +71 visits). Finally, among children under 2 years of age, there was a decrease, for the second consecutive week, in cases of bronchiolitis (-20%, or -167 cases), though levels remain higher than in previous years. Against the backdrop of rising non-invasive and invasive Group A Streptococcus infections, there was an increase in cases of scarlet fever (+13%, or +23 cases), which was more pronounced among children under 2 years of age.

Among other indicators, there was an increase in cases of heart failure among those aged 75 and older (+30%, or +30 cases).