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The flu epidemic is spreading in Réunion, and emergency room visits are skyrocketing.
Flu cases are on the rise in Réunion. Last week, around one hundred emergency room visits for flu-like symptoms were recorded, more than thirty more than the previous week. The Regional Health Agency is urging vigilance this Wednesday, October 14, 2026.
By Hermione Razafinarivo
Published on October 14, 2026 at 6:32 AM
Updated on October 14, 2026 at 06:33
The flu virus is actively circulating for the fifth consecutive week. Emergency services also remain under pressure.
More than a hundred visits to the emergency room
Last week, 103 visits to the emergency room for flu-like symptoms were recorded, compared to 69 the previous week, with 10 people subsequently hospitalized.
164 visits to the emergency room for acute lower respiratory infections were recorded, representing an increase of nearly 38% in one week. These acute respiratory infections account for 5.3% of the activity of physicians in the sentinel network, an indicator that has been rising for three weeks.
The most vulnerable to protect
Faced with this active circulation of the virus, health authorities are calling for vigilance. They indicate that certain people are at greater risk of developing a severe form of the disease:
• people aged 65 and over
• People with chronic illnesses such as diabetes, cardiovascular, respiratory or kidney diseases, or severe obesity
• Immunocompromised individuals and their close contacts
• pregnant women
• Parents of infants under 6 months old and close relatives
• Residents of nursing homes and medico-social establishments
"For these people, the flu can lead to serious complications, require hospitalization or worsen a chronic illness. In people aged 65 and over, it can also promote falls which can lead to a loss of independence. In pregnant women, it can also increase the risk of premature birth and spontaneous miscarriages ," the ARS specifies.
Vaccination possible
"Vulnerable people are encouraged to get vaccinated against the flu now if they have not already done so. Vaccination helps reduce the risk of serious complications, hospitalization and death related to the flu ," the health authorities added.
It must be renewed every year because flu viruses evolve and vaccine protection decreases over time. Those in close contact with vulnerable individuals should also be vaccinated to protect them: family, caregivers, and healthcare and social care professionals who support them.
Dr. Rodolphe Manaquin, an infectious disease specialist at the University Hospital of Reunion Island, explains that "the flu is not a benign illness for vulnerable people. Every year at the University Hospital we are confronted with severe cases. Vaccination helps limit the risk of severe forms and mitigate the individual and collective impact of the flu, notably by helping to avoid overloading the healthcare system. It is important to protect oneself and to protect the most vulnerable . "
To limit the spread of the flu, in case of high fever, cough, body aches, headache or significant fatigue:
• Consult a healthcare professional if you experience any signs of severity or if you have a risk factor
• Wear a mask and limit contact with those around you
It is also clear that preventive measures must be strictly observed: regular hand washing, coughing and sneezing into the elbow, using disposable tissues, ventilating enclosed spaces.
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la1ere.franceinfo.fr
Flu cases are on the rise in Réunion. Last week, around one hundred emergency room visits for flu-like symptoms were recorded, more than thirty more than the previous week. The Regional Health Agency is urging vigilance this Wednesday, October 14, 2026.
By Hermione Razafinarivo
Published on October 14, 2026 at 6:32 AM
Updated on October 14, 2026 at 06:33
The flu virus is actively circulating for the fifth consecutive week. Emergency services also remain under pressure.
More than a hundred visits to the emergency room
Last week, 103 visits to the emergency room for flu-like symptoms were recorded, compared to 69 the previous week, with 10 people subsequently hospitalized.
164 visits to the emergency room for acute lower respiratory infections were recorded, representing an increase of nearly 38% in one week. These acute respiratory infections account for 5.3% of the activity of physicians in the sentinel network, an indicator that has been rising for three weeks.
The most vulnerable to protect
Faced with this active circulation of the virus, health authorities are calling for vigilance. They indicate that certain people are at greater risk of developing a severe form of the disease:
• people aged 65 and over
• People with chronic illnesses such as diabetes, cardiovascular, respiratory or kidney diseases, or severe obesity
• Immunocompromised individuals and their close contacts
• pregnant women
• Parents of infants under 6 months old and close relatives
• Residents of nursing homes and medico-social establishments
"For these people, the flu can lead to serious complications, require hospitalization or worsen a chronic illness. In people aged 65 and over, it can also promote falls which can lead to a loss of independence. In pregnant women, it can also increase the risk of premature birth and spontaneous miscarriages ," the ARS specifies.
Vaccination possible
"Vulnerable people are encouraged to get vaccinated against the flu now if they have not already done so. Vaccination helps reduce the risk of serious complications, hospitalization and death related to the flu ," the health authorities added.
It must be renewed every year because flu viruses evolve and vaccine protection decreases over time. Those in close contact with vulnerable individuals should also be vaccinated to protect them: family, caregivers, and healthcare and social care professionals who support them.
Dr. Rodolphe Manaquin, an infectious disease specialist at the University Hospital of Reunion Island, explains that "the flu is not a benign illness for vulnerable people. Every year at the University Hospital we are confronted with severe cases. Vaccination helps limit the risk of severe forms and mitigate the individual and collective impact of the flu, notably by helping to avoid overloading the healthcare system. It is important to protect oneself and to protect the most vulnerable . "
To limit the spread of the flu, in case of high fever, cough, body aches, headache or significant fatigue:
• Consult a healthcare professional if you experience any signs of severity or if you have a risk factor
• Wear a mask and limit contact with those around you
It is also clear that preventive measures must be strictly observed: regular hand washing, coughing and sneezing into the elbow, using disposable tissues, ventilating enclosed spaces.
L'épidémie de grippe progresse à La Réunion, les passages aux urgences explosent - Outre-mer La 1ère
Les cas de grippe augmentent à La Réunion. La semaine dernière, une centaine de passages aux urgences pour syndrome grippal ont été enregistrés, soit plus d'une trentaine de plus que la semaine précédente. L'Agence Régionale de Santé appelle à la vigilance, ce mercredi 14 octobre 2026.
la1ere.franceinfo.fr