END OF FLU 2023. This year in France, the flu epidemic was exceptionally early and long (19 weeks), marked by two successive waves and severity among 15-64 year olds.
[Mis à jour le 19 mai 2023 à 11h17] The flu, which lasted 19 weeks this year, is now over. Every year, Public health France takes stock of the flu epidemic and reveals the key figures and findings. In a first preliminary assessment published on May 11, 2023, the health authority reports “an epidemic exceptionally early and long characterized by 2 successive waves, due to type A(H3N2) and then B/Victoria viruses, a marked severity of the epidemic, especially among 15-64 year olds and slightly lower vaccination coverage than in 2021-2022“.
What are the figures for the 2023 flu epidemic in France?
The epidemic period took place from the end of November 2022 to the end of March 2023, i.e. 19 weeks. During this period there were:
- 2.1 million consultations for flu syndrome (according to the Sentinelles network) with a proportion of flu-like illnesses among SOS Médecins consultations of 6% to 25% at the peak of the epidemic
- More than 110,000 visits to the emergency room for flu or flu syndrome, of which 44% concerned 15-64 year olds
- More than 15,000 hospitalizations after going to the emergency room, of which 23% concerned 15-64 year olds
Map: what is the flu toll by region?
There Brittany and Normandy were the first regions to enter the epidemic phase at the end of November 2022, followed by the other regions. In week 49 of 2022, all regions were in epidemic. At the beginning of January, 3 regions had emerged from the epidemic phase: Hauts-de-France, Normandy and Brittany which, exceptionally, returned to the epidemic phase 2 weeks later. The 11 regions remained in epidemic until mid-March then gradually moved into the post-epidemic phase. All regions had returned to the inter-epidemic phase at the end of April.
When was the peak of the flu epidemic?
On a metropolitan scale, the 2022-23 flu epidemic started at the end of November (S47-2022) to reach its peak at the end of December (S51-2022).
What was the flu virus in 2023?
A first wave, mainly carried by the A(H3N2) virus, was observed until mid-January (S03-2023), followed by an epidemic rebound mainly due to the B/Victoria virus.
How many deaths during the flu epidemic this year?
121 deaths have been reported: 62 among those aged 65 or over, 54 among those aged 15-64, 4 among those under 15 and 1 whose age was not given. The regions that reported the highest shares of influenza-related deaths during the 2022-2023 season are: Normandy (1.5%), Ile-de-France (1.3%), Corsica (1 .3%) and Hauts-de-France (1.2%).
Is the flu a serious illness?
The flu is a acute respiratory infectionof viral origin, in other words, due to a Influenza virus. It is an infectious and contagious disease, which is manifested by fever, cough, aches, headaches, chills…
Influenza is subject to seasonal epidemics, generally observed during fall and winter, sometimes in the spring, as was the case this year. It differs from a flu syndrome which can be due to many other respiratory viruses such as rhinovirus, respiratory syncytial virus… Most of the time mild, the flu can however be serious in fragile people.
Source: Influenza epidemiological bulletin, week 18. Preliminary report. Season 2022-2023, Public Health France