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HEALTH

Stomach flu epidemic ‘set to worsen’ in France

Doctors and researchers have predicted that the current "gastro" epidemic in France will soar as the end of the month approaches.

Stomach flu epidemic 'set to worsen' in France
Areas in red are seeing 300 gastro cases per 100,000 residents. Photo: Sentinelles de l'Inserm
If you're feeling a bit under the weather in France, you're far from alone. 
 
The Sentinelles de l'Inserm, an online network of general practitioners and researchers, has announced that the gastroenteritis levels in France have been at “epidemic level” for two weeks. 
 
Gastroenteritis or stomach flu, which many French refer to as 'gastro,' is an inflammation of the stomach and intestines caused by a bacterial or viral infection that typically results in vomiting and diarrhoea. 
 
The incidence rate of acute diarrhoea reported by French GPs has been at 219 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, which is above the epidemic threshold of 194 cases per 100,000. 
 
The worst-hit areas are Languedoc-Roussillon (which had 389 cases per 100,000 inhabitants), Nord-Pas-de-Calais (with 380) and Champagne-Ardenne (with 363).
 
The average ago of the patients was 23, with 48 percent of them males. 
 
Researchers predicted that the level of activity of acute diarrhea should continue to rise for the rest of the month, according to the forecast model based on historical data (see graph below).
 
 
This means France could see rates doubling to around 400 cases per 100,000 inhabitants over the next few days. 
 
The report added that the strain of the sickness wasn't too serious, with just 0.4 percent of all reported cases requiring treatment in hospital. 

Wash your hands!

Health officials say the best way to avoid getting sick is to avoid contact with dirty hands. However, if you can’t avoid touching others, make sure to disinfect your hands quickly.

If you do get sick, the most important thing is to remain hydrated and avoid eating foods that are high in fibre.

HEALTH

Lengthy waiting times at Danish hospitals not going away yet: minister

Danish Minister for the Interior and Health Sophie Løhde has warned that, despite increasing activity at hospitals, it will be some time before current waiting lists are reduced.

Lengthy waiting times at Danish hospitals not going away yet: minister

The message comes as Løhde was set to meet with officials from regional health authorities on Wednesday to discuss the progress of an acute plan for the Danish health system, launched at the end of last year in an effort to reduce a backlog of waiting times which built up during the coronavirus crisis.

An agreement with regional health authorities on an “acute” spending plan to address the most serious challenges faced by the health services agreed in February, providing 2 billion kroner by the end of 2024.

READ ALSO: What exactly is wrong with the Danish health system?

The national organisation for the health authorities, Danske Regioner, said to newspaper Jyllands-Posten earlier this week that progress on clearing the waiting lists was ahead of schedule.

Some 245,300 operations were completed in the first quarter of this year, 10 percent more than in the same period in 2022 and over the agreed number.

Løhde said that the figures show measures from the acute plan are “beginning to work”.

“It’s positive but even though it suggests that the trend is going the right way, we’re far from our goal and it’s important to keep it up so that we get there,” she said.

“I certainly won’t be satisfied until waiting times are brought down,” she said.

“As long as we are in the process of doing postponed operations, we will unfortunately continue to see a further increase [in waiting times],” Løhde said.

“That’s why it’s crucial that we retain a high activity this year and in 2024,” she added.

Although the government set aside 2 billion kroner in total for the plan, the regional authorities expect the portion of that to be spent in 2023 to run out by the end of the summer. They have therefore asked for some of the 2024 spending to be brought forward.

Løhde is so far reluctant to meet that request according to Jyllands-Posten.

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