2024-01-05 22:04:43
The last epidemiological point from Public Health France is formal. The start of 2024 is marked by a sharp increase in respiratory infections in Martinique. In addition to the bronchiolitis virus and Covid-19, Martinique is now experiencing an increase in flu cases. Since January 4, the island has been in a pre-epidemic state. The dengue virus is still active.
Acute respiratory infections are currently rampant in Martinique. Since Thursday January 4, 2024, Public Health France has placed the territory in the pre-epidemic phase of influenza.
Between December 25 and 31, 2023, the number of cases jumped. On the island, health authorities have identified 1,477 clinically suggestive cases and 2 visits to the emergency room.
In addition, the number of consultations in the city for influenza-like illness reached a peak of 1,480 consultations during this period, compared to 770 the previous week.
We have a lot of digestive disorders, these are a priori, viral gastroenteritis, which are not very worrying, but which are debilitating for patients. We have a lot of flu and people always think in Martinique that they have caught a cold, but it’s just seasonal flu. It’s not a time like the rest of the year. It’s a period where we still have people coming and going more than the rest of the time. They travel, go on cruises. Then there is the period of January when the seasonal flu is rife.
Doctor Yolène Belon Tulle
Interviewed by Corinne Jean-Joseph and Oliver Nicolas-dit-Duclos
Martinique being the department where the most elderly people reside compared to France, the health authorities strongly recommend vaccination for those over 65, because the flu can be fatal.
Although the epidemic peak has passed, the health authority maintains the alert for the bronchiolitis epidemic “with a stable situation”.
In pediatric emergencies, an average of 14 weekly visits for bronchiolitis has been observed since the week of October 28 to November 3, 2023, with an average of 4 hospitalizations per week.
In addition to this start of the flu epidemic, we still have circulation of the virus responsible for bronchiolitis, RSV. Certainly the epidemic has already been in decline for several months, but we continue to have around forty visits to the emergency room each week. At the same time, there are other viruses circulating, responsible for respiratory infections, which are certainly mild infections, with a runny nose, a little fever, sometimes headaches. These are viruses that we have already known about for several years and we can clearly see that there is an intensifying circulation in recent weeks.
Jacques Rosine, Public Health Manager France in Martinique
Interviewed by Corinne Jean-Joseph and Oliver Nicolas-dit-Duclos
According to the latest data from the public health agency, SARS-CoV-2 indicators are slightly increasing. Between December 25 and 31, 24 new cases were confirmed and 3 visits to adult emergencies for suspected Covid-19 were noted.
In addition to respiratory infections, Martinique has also been affected by a dengue epidemic since August 2023. Although the number of cases is clearly decreasing, the virus is still circulating. Last week, serious cases were admitted to the Martinique University Hospital Center.
As a reminder, dengue caused the deaths of 6 people in 2023.
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