The flu map of France is practically all red. Only Normandy is not yet in the “epidemic” stage, according to the weekly bulletin of Public Health France, published Wednesday January 29. “We are seeing a strong increase of + 55% in indicators of influenza activity”, specifies Public Health France. While all the spotlight is on the progression of the coronavirus from China, the seasonal flu would be almost forgotten. However, according to figures from SPF, its consequences are far from negligible. Since November, it has caused 460 hospitalizations in France. 244 serious cases have been reported, including 29 in the past week.
But, above all, 22 people have died since November 2019. These are “2 children under the age of 15, 12 people aged 15 to 64, and 8 people aged 65 and over”, specifies Public health France. Difficult however to know if the epidemic is already harder than the previous ones. But a certainty: the flu is beefy, and indeed there during this winter 2019-2020.
“Isn’t it the coronavirus at least?”
Doctors who visit people with the flu often hear the same question. “When I end the consultation, the patients ask me, half worried, half amused: doctor, this is not coronavirus, at least?” They do not believe in it themselves, but still want to be fixed, and to be reassured “explains us doctor Serge Smadja, president of SOS physicians in Paris, whose teams are increasing consultations for this reason at the moment.
Because, in fact, the two viruses have something in common. They are, in both cases, viruses transmitted by air, or by contact with the hands, and which attack the respiratory system. But the coronavirus has the originality of being new, and therefore less well known to practitioners, than the already highly identified influenza A, H3N2 or A (H1N1) viruses circulating this year. And its mortality rate, still poorly identified, but estimated at around 3%, is much higher than that of influenza, of which a tiny part of the patients die. But it strongly tires patients. “Even if there is good reason to be interested in the coronavirus, whose progression is worrying in the world, let us not also forget to be vigilant on the flu” adds Dr. Smadja.
VIDEO. Coronavirus in France: symptoms and prevention
In terms of prevention, “the same barrier actions are effective in protecting oneself from the two pathologies,” adds Dr. Smadja. “Washing your hands regularly, coughing or sneezing in your elbow, using a disposable handkerchief, are common sense tips that work for both,” he adds. When you are sick, it may be useful to wear a mask. It is also recommended for nursing staff, who are in regular contact with patients. In terms of treatment, however, everything is different. While the flu can, to a certain extent, be prevented with preventive vaccination, this is not yet the case for the coronavirus although American researchers started developing potential vaccines this week. However, it will probably take months to see them succeed.
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