Gastro-enteritis epidemic declared

OUTBREAKS of gastro-enteritis across France have been classed as an epidemic by medical watchdog Sentinelle and people have been reminded to wash their hands frequently.

Country-wide, there are around 300 cases per 100,000 inhabitants - with the epidemic level being set at 282 cases - and Sentinelle says that figures could worsen with updated reports now children are back at school.

Nord-Pas-de-Calais is the worst-affected part of the country with 884 cases per 100,000.

However, the south-west has a strange situation with Midi-Pyrénées having just 50 cases per 100,000 while its neighbours on either side are worse affected. Languedoc-Roussillon has double the limit at 571 cases and Aquitaine has 308.

Elsewhere, Basse-Normandie has 339 cases, Provence-Alpes-Côte-d’Azur 327 and Alsace 319.

The youngest case is of a new-born just one month old while the oldest is of a 102-year-old. The average of those affected is 28 years, with 43% of them being men.