Bronchiolitis: the epidemic continues at a high level

The bronchiolitis epidemic, which has been affecting French children this year in an unprecedented way for a decade, has remained high in recent days, health authorities said on Wednesday.

The past week of November 27 was marked by “a continued increase in emergency room visits and hospital admissions for bronchiolitis in children under two years of age in metropolitan France,” the French public health agency summed up in a weekly report.

“The intensity of the epidemic is especially noticeable throughout the metropolitan area and in Guadeloupe,” she insisted.

Common and highly contagious bronchiolitis causes infants to cough and have difficult, fast, wheezing breathing. If this upsets young parents, then in most cases it is benign. In some cases, a visit to the emergency room or even hospitalization may be required.

This epidemic, on an unprecedented scale in a decade, has struck pediatric ambulance services, plunged into a crisis associated with poor working conditions and a shortage of staff.

The peak of the epidemic is “closer to the weekend”

Over 3,000 children were hospitalized for bronchiolitis last week, up 16% from the previous seven days. This accounts for more than half of the hospitalizations of children under two years of age. Under pressure, the Minister of Health launched a national contingency plan three weeks ago to deal with exceptional health situations, ORSAN said.

However, the epidemic may end in the coming days, according to the National Union of French Pediatricians (SNPF), which brings together professionals who practice outside the hospital. “We expect a peak by the end of the week,” Dr. Bridget Viray, president of SNPF, said on Monday.