The Flu in Poitou-Charentes

In the Poitou-Charentes region, since the beginning of the year, there has been a gradual increase in activity at the region’s emergency departments. This increase follows a decline in activity observed at the end of last year. Since early February, there has also been a gradual and very sharp increase compared to last year in visits for influenza and flu-like symptoms. The numbers have reached 160 visits per week, representing 2.5% of all emergency room visits in the region, and 140 consultations (35%) at SOS Médecins 17. Related indicators—outbreaks of respiratory infections in communities, severe cases, and deaths—are also on the rise.The health impact of the flu epidemic is all the more severe because the A(H3N2) viruses, which account for 60% of the flu viruses identified this year, are predominantly variants of the vaccine strain and are known to cause severe flu among the elderly population. Low vaccination coverage among people aged 65 and older (around 50%), the poor match between circulating A(H3N2) viruses and the vaccine strain, and the observation of very low vaccine efficacy against these viruses¹ help explain this impact.This epidemic already appears to be the most severe in Poitou-Charentes—as well as across the entire country—since the H1N1 flu epidemic of the 2009–2010 winter.