Highlights

• In week 02, activity related to influenza and influenza-like illnesses remained low for emergency departments, SOS Médecins associations, and the Sentinelles network. However, influenza viruses are beginning to be isolated at the virology laboratory of the Nancy University Hospital, with one positive sample in Week 01 and two positive samples in Week 02. All of these samples tested positive for influenza B virus.

• Since the update on January 7, three new clusters of acute respiratory infections have been reported in elderly care facilities in Lorraine. Twelve reports have been made since September 1, 2015.

• Following the sharp decline observed last week, bronchiolitis-related activity in emergency departments stabilized in week 02 and accounted for 12% of total weekly activity among children under 2 years of age. However, activity related to this condition for the SOS Médecins association in Meurthe-et-Moselle is rising again, reaching 10% of total activity in the under-2 age group. It is thus the third most commonly diagnosed condition among children under 2 years of age by the association’s physicians (after ear infections and nasopharyngitis).

• According to the virology laboratory at Nancy University Hospital, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) remains the most commonly identified respiratory virus in week 02.

• In Lorraine, activity related to gastroenteritis in the emergency departments of the OSCOUR® network has remained between 1.1% and 1.2% of total diagnoses for the past three weeks. Regarding the SOS Médecins association in Meurthe-et-Moselle, activity related to this condition has tended to stabilize over the past two weeks. It accounts for nearly 9% of the association’s overall activity and is the second most commonly diagnosed condition after nasopharyngitis.

• Since the update on January 7, five new clusters of acute gastroenteritis cases in elderly care facilities have been reported in Lorraine, bringing the total number of reports since September 1, 2015, to 14.

• The number of positive samples for circulating enteric viruses was low in week 02, according to data from the virology laboratory at Nancy University Hospital: 1 sample tested positive for adenovirus and 2 for rotavirus.

• During week 02, 1 case of carbon monoxide poisoning (suspected or confirmed) was reported in Lorraine.