The flu epidemic, unusually late this year for the season, is flowing back to mainland France, including for the first time for deaths, according to the weekly report from Public Health France, published on Wednesday.
“Although decreasing, influenza indicators were still at high levels marking a still intense circulation of influenza viruses in parallel with SARS-CoV-2” the past week, however observed the health agency. In city medicine, as in hospitals, the proportion of consultations or admissions for flu or flu-like illness has declined.
On the death side, “for the first time”, the share linked to the flu among all deaths resulting from electronic certification has decreased. These deaths mainly concerned people aged 65 or over (85%) but 13 deaths were recorded in people under the age of 15.
As the flu is still circulating alongside Covid-19, Public Health France reaffirms the importance of barrier gestures and vaccination, especially for those most at risk, the elderly in mind.