Pediatric emergencies have decreased by 20 % in one week in the metropolis.
Le Monde with AFP
The bronchiolitis epidemic remains at “a very high level” in mainland France observed the health authorities on Wednesday, November 16.
If surveillance indicators in children under 2 years old display a “decrease” in most metropolitan regions, Health Public France warned that this reflux “can be transient following the school holidays of Toussaint”.
If they have dropped, “the hospitalizations for bronchiolitis represent for the second consecutive week half of the hospitalizations [following] an emergency room for children under 2 years of age” in mainland France, underlined the ‘ health agency in its weekly balance sheet.
5,565 children under 2 years old went to the emergency room for bronchiolitis in metropolitan France during the week from November 7 to 13, a decline of 20 % compared to the previous week. 2,027 children were finally hospitalized. A week ago, Public Health France reportedly reported in emergencies and hospitalizations at record levels “for more than ten years”. The intensity of the epidemic is more intense in the northern half of the metropolis and in Guadeloupe, according to the health agency. Mayotte went into an epidemic phase.
a national emergency plan
Current and very contagious, bronchiolitis causes babies a cough and difficult, fast and whistling cough. If it is scary for young parents, it is mostly benign. In some cases, it may require a transition to emergencies, even hospitalization.
This epidemic is hitting pediatric emergencies plunged into a crisis linked to unsatisfactory working conditions and a lack of staff. Under pressure, the Minister of Health, François Braun, sparked a national emergency plan on November 9, known as Orsan, planned for exceptional health situations, in order to “further strengthen ARS (regional health agencies) and [To] allow the entire hospital to be able to focus on this particularly acute problem today “.
A week earlier, François Braun had announced new measures, especially for pediatric services, for a total amount of around 400 million euros. With this early and intense epidemic, “pediatric cabinets are also in saturation,” said Brigitte Virey, president of the National Union of French Pediatricians, Tuesday in Le Monde.