2023-09-21 17:32:28
September also marks the return of Covid-19 to France. While the circulation of the virus had increased this summer due to tourism and festive events, the start of the school year was shaping up to be a favorable time for the spread of the virus in schools, offices and public transport.
It is on this occasion that the national public health agency France updated Wednesday September 20 its latest information bulletin concerning the evolution of the epidemic for the week of September 11 to 17.
A summary of the evolution of treatment for suspected Covid-19, and not cases testing positive for coronavirus. Despite everything, an observation emerges that calls for vigilance: two weeks after the start of the school year, these types of care are increasing among children.
Cases of Covid-19 especially among those under 15 years old
To give some visibility to the consequences of the start of the school year on the spread of the virus, driven by the emergence of a new variant, Public Health France is based on the health surveillance system for emergencies and deaths (Sursaud)centralizing three indicators: the activity of emergency services, care by SOS Médecins and the number of deaths recorded by doctors and INSEE.
Thus, for the second week after the start of the school year in mainland France, care linked to suspected Covid-19 is “on the rise among those under 75 in SOS Médecins associations and among 2-14 year olds in emergency rooms” , notes the summary from Public Health France.
After a first week of September already on the rise for “all age groups”, the health authorities this time note a more precise increase in the number of visits to the emergency room for suspected Covid-19 in children aged 2 to 14 years old : 212 supported from September 11 to 17, compared to 182 a week before, an increase of 16%.
An observation shared by SOS Médecins, which also notes an overall increase in medical procedures for suspected Covid of 19% between these two periods following another increase of 17% seven days earlier. Here again, SOS Médecins observes that this primarily concerns the youngestwith an increase of “61% among children and 15% among 15-74 year olds”.
A worrying context of increase in respiratory diseases
A phenomenon which spares the oldest French people: the health authorities note that the increase in care linked to Covid-19 affects all age groups “with the exception of those 75 and over”. Other good news: the Rugby World Cup in France does not seem to worsen the situation, Public Health France reporting “no unusual variation in the indicators monitored”.
Other factors, however, risk increasing the number of treatments linked to Covid-19 among younger people. In addition to an increase in cases of allergies which affects all ages, the start of the school year has also led to the proliferation among children of most of the diseases monitored, including respiratory pathologies.
These are on the rise, particularly in emergencies: whether cases of respiratory failure and allergies among 2-14 year olds (up 54% and 27% respectively), or even cases of asthma. (+71%) and ear, nose and throat diseases (+42). Trends that are also observed at SOS Médecins.
We also find more cases of bronchiolitis in children under 2 years old: an increase of 84% in hospitals, and 115% for SOS Médecins. A seasonal respiratory disease which, with the flu, had already complicated the management of Covid-19 cases last winter.
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