France Faces Mounting Pressure as Flu Epidemic Grips Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur Region
Table of Contents
The seasonal flu epidemic is reaching critical levels in France, notably in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur (PACA) region, straining emergency services and prompting warnings from labor unions.While health authorities acknowledge the severity of the situation, they have so far resisted calls for the implementation of emergency measures.
Surge in Cases Fuels Healthcare Concerns
Last week, the PACA region recorded an incidence rate of 480 cases of the flu per 100,000 inhabitants, making it the third most affected region in France. This dramatic increase in cases is placing immense pressure on hospitals and emergency rooms, leading to notable delays in care.
“Unluckily, you will face long hours of waiting, like in developing countries, in hallways, on gurneys, if you’re lucky. Otherwise, on the floor,†a representative from the Sud Santé union stated, describing the conditions in Marseille hospitals. The union leader further emphasized the systemic issues, stating, “It’s infuriating because this happens every year. Managing means anticipating, and today, it feels like nothing is managed or anticipated.â€
Echoes of the COVID-19 Pandemic
The current situation is drawing comparisons to the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, with healthcare workers once again forced to make challenging choices about patient care. An emergency room nurse recounted the case of an 80-year-old woman who suffered a fall and a facial trauma,but was discharged with only basic treatment due to the overwhelming workload. “We have to make choices in the care and the patients treated,†the nurse lamented.
The regional SAMU (emergency medical services) is operating at a level comparable to that seen during the COVID-19 crisis, according to the Regional Health Agency (ARS). This has prompted urgent calls for action, including the activation of the “plan blanc†— a protocol for mobilizing additional financial, human, and material resources during exceptional circumstances.
ARS Resists Emergency Measures
Though, the ARS is currently resisting calls to implement the “plan blanc,†arguing that the situation is “sustained but controlled.†This stance has drawn criticism from unions, who accuse the agency of inaction and a reluctance to acknowledge the severity of the crisis. “Declaring the ‘plan blanc’ is admitting that the hospital is failing,†a union official explained.
Currently,intensive care unit beds in the region are 80% occupied,with the area around Aix-en-provence being particularly closely monitored. Despite the escalating situation, Health Minister Stéphanie Rist recently reiterated the importance of vaccination, urging citizens to get vaccinated without delay.
Local Hospital adapts with “Winter Unit”
In response to the growing epidemic, the Intercommunal Hospital Center Aix-Pertuis established a ten-bed “winter unit†on December 5th to specifically treat patients with respiratory viruses. Hospital officials report that occupancy rates are at their maximum. While acknowledging the pressure, the hospital currently believes it can manage without activating a full “Situation Sanitaire Exceptionnelle†(SSE) plan, due to the winter unit and a slight decrease in scheduled procedures during the holiday season.
According to data from the Pays d’Aix hospital center, 149 out of over 500 respiratory virus tests conducted between December 21st and 28th, 2025, were positive. This resulted in 24 hospitalizations in Aix and 16 in Pertuis.
The situation remains precarious, highlighting the ongoing challenges facing the French healthcare system as it navigates another wave of respiratory illness. .
