In total, 20,360 consultations for influenza syndrome were recorded in city medicine, more than double the 9,700 cases identified the previous season. This activity is much higher than the average of previous seasons, estimated at 9,000 consultations.
On the hospital side, emergency services recorded 1,264 passages for flu, 144 of which ended in hospitalization (a rate of 11.4 %). These figures triple almost the averages observed between 2018 and 2024. Despite this high volume, the average severity was less than during post-Cavid seasons, where hospitalization rates often exceeded 20 %.
19 resuscitation and two deaths
19 patients were admitted to resuscitation, mainly aged 18 to 64 (79 %), with an average age of 55. Two deaths attributable to the flu were reported. Among these serious cases, 95 % of patients presented comorbidities, including hypertension, overweight or cardiac pathologies.
Of the 4,724 samples taken in Guadeloupe hospitals, 16 % proved to be positive. Type A virus has largely predominated, although B type B has been detected. The positivity rate culminated at 25 % at the peak of the epidemic. This relative drop in positivity, compared to previous seasons (23 % on average), suggests a co-circulation of other respiratory viruses such as Rhinovirus.
Children among the most affected
The under-5 represented 29 %of the emergency room passages for influenza, ahead of 15-44 year olds (22 %) and 5-14 year olds (21 %). On the other hand, hospitalizations mainly affected those over 65 (51 %), confirming their vulnerability to severe forms.
