Excess cases of influenza-like illnesses synchronous with coronavirus disease (COVID-19) epidemic, France, March 2020

Euro Surveill. 2020 Apr;25(14):2000326. doi: 10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2020.25.14.2000326.

Abstract

Several French regions where coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has been reported currently show a renewed increase in ILI cases in the general practice-based Sentinelles network. We computed the number of excess cases by region from 24 February to 8 March 2020 and found a correlation with the number of reported COVID-19 cases so far. The data suggest larger circulation of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in the French population than apparent from confirmed cases.

Keywords: COVID-19; Surveillance Sentinel Network, influenza-like illness.

MeSH terms

  • Betacoronavirus
  • COVID-19
  • Coronavirus Infections / epidemiology*
  • Coronavirus Infections / transmission
  • Coronavirus*
  • Disease Outbreaks
  • France / epidemiology
  • Humans
  • Influenza, Human / epidemiology*
  • Pandemics*
  • Pneumonia, Viral / epidemiology*
  • Pneumonia, Viral / transmission
  • SARS-CoV-2
  • Sentinel Surveillance*