in the midst of an epidemic, flu is the main reason for admission to this intensive care unit in Ile-de-France

The H1N1 virus, the main strain of influenza, is currently circulating in France, with consequences for admissions to intensive care units.

All of France is in the flu epidemic phase, the traditional winter epidemic, according to the latest indicators from Public Health France. The increase in cases leads to a mechanical increase in hospitalizations because the flu can cause serious forms and kills several thousand patients each winter.

The intensive care medicine department at Garches hospital, in Hauts-de-Seine, is full. Nothing abnormal, it’s winter and the flu, the H1N1 strain which is circulating at the moment and which traditionally causes serious forms, brings its share of patients. “It’s today the main reason for admission to the intensive care unit: approximately one in two patients, who arrive with respiratory signs, have the flu”, specifies Professor Djillali Annane, head of the department. Most patients are over 70 years old. But not all : “The last patient admitted to the department with influenza A was 58 years old”assures the professor.

From the long corridor which leads to bright rooms with transparent doors, we can see some patients conscious in their beds, others asleep: all serious cases. “Unfortunately, every year, there are people, especially fragile people, who die from the flu. So yes, the flu is a very serious thing”continues Djillali Annane.

The vaccine protects against the main strain in circulation

It generally takes only a few days for this respiratory virus to send vulnerable people to the hospital: “It will start with a cough. Then, eventually, a runny nose, sore throat… Then, finally, difficulty breathing and a cough that becomes wet. The risk is that difficulty breathing lead to the need for additional oxygen to properly oxygenate the blood, and therefore hospitalization. Or even require respiratory assistance in the most severe forms, and therefore to be admitted to intensive care.”specifies the head of department, before slipping that here, around half of the patients are not vaccinated.

This year, the vaccine protects against the main strain in circulation: “H1N1 is really completely taken into account by the vaccine. There are one or two other serotypes which are a little less so but which give less severe forms. So we can say that the flu vaccine, today, protects good against the flu.” Less than half of people at risk got vaccinated against the flu this year. As the epidemic approaches its peak, the Ministry of Health has decided to extend the vaccination campaign until the end of the month.