the bronchiolitis epidemic is spreading

In Clermont-Ferrand (Puy-de-Dôme), pediatric emergencies are under pressure. This creates anxiety for parents. “I was not confident when I came, I was afraid there was no room”, confides Emmanuelle Michy, mother of a child. Bronchiolitis is now in an epidemic phase throughout the country.

Public Health France has unveiled alarming figures: last week, 6,167 children under two went to the emergency room for bronchiolitis. That’s 49% more than the previous week. A third were eventually hospitalized. Contamination levels already higher than those of the epidemic peaks of the previous three years. To cope, the Minister of Health, François Braun, announced an additional 400 million euros for the hospital, already weakened by the lack of caregivers and years of reduction of budget.