France facing the threat of an unprecedented ‘triple epidemic’ during the winter

The ninth wave of the covid epidemic hits hard the French health services, with more than 70,000 new daily infections on average. To this are added two other diseases, the flu and bronchiolitis, typical of winter.

According to the agency Santé publique France (French public health), all the indicators reveal that “the covid epidemic continues to progress” in Francewith an increase in hospitalizations and the number of deaths, while the country registers an increase in cases of influenza and bronchiolitis.

Incidence rates continue to increase in all regions of metropolitan France, coupled by the presence of the Omicron variant.

The “triple epidemic” facing the French health system, hit hard since the beginning of the epidemic, it is completely unprecedented and its evolution is difficult to predict. In the same period, these three serious diseases are combined: a covid in full swing, an early and strongly increasing flu, and an epidemic of bronchiolitis that breaks all the records of the last 10 years in the sector of newborns.

In this context of active circulation of various viruses that attack the respiratory tract, Santé publish France has made a new call to reinforce vaccinationmainly from the population at risk.

In the first days of December, more than 70,000 new cases of covid are registered daily, although there are worrying peaks, such as the one registered on Tuesday, December 6, when the bar of 100,000 cases was exceeded.

In this situation, Many sectors call to reinstate the use of the mask in closed places such as public transport. President Emmanuel Macron wanted to set an example by putting on a mask during a public event last Thursday. But with the prospect of the end-of-year holidays, hit hard by the energy crisis and inflation, the government led by Elizabeth Borne has so far avoided making unpopular decisions.