Stomach illness cases double at Reunion hospitals as school year looms

Reunion’s emergency departments recorded 89 acute gastroenteritis patients in a single week, nearly double the 46 cases logged the week before, and public health officials are watching the numbers closely as the school year begins.

The surge, tracked during the week of August 10 to 16, 2026, placed immediate pressure on hospital services already stretched by seasonal demand. Of those 89 patients, 16 required admission. Children under 5 were among the most vulnerable, with four hospitalizations recorded in that same period. Slightly more than half of all emergency department patients were older than 15, confirming the illness is spreading across every age group on the island.

Additional reference context is available at https://la1ere.franceinfo.fr/reunion/les-cas-de-gastro-enterites-aigues-en-hausse-a-la-reunion-1729846.html.

Santé Publique France has identified two pathogens driving the current wave: campylobacter bacteria and norovirus. Both spread readily in shared environments. The school year’s return on August 18 is precisely the kind of setting that accelerates transmission, bringing children into close contact and, through them, exposing entire households.

To put the numbers in context, gastroenteritis accounted for just 2.2 percent of all emergency visits during that week. Among children under 5, however, the share climbed to 6.5 percent, a figure that reflects the disproportionate toll on the youngest residents. Small percentages can obscure real burden. Sixteen admissions and four hospitalizations of young children represent families disrupted, caregivers stretched, and ward beds occupied.

What residents can do right now is straightforward. Santé Publique France’s primary recommendation is regular handwashing with liquid soap and water for at least 30 seconds, covering fingernails, fingertips, palms, the backs of hands, wrists, and the spaces between fingers. This single practice limits the spread of both campylobacter and norovirus more effectively than most other measures.

For families with infants, an additional layer of protection is available. Since June 2022, rotavirus vaccination has been recommended in France for all infants from 6 weeks of age. The vaccine is given orally, requiring no injection, making it accessible even for families wary of needles. Rotavirus is one of the leading causes of severe gastroenteritis in very young children, and vaccination directly reduces the risk of serious illness.

Meanwhile, the island’s broader health picture includes a separate concern. Leptospirosis cases reached 238 confirmed infections as of the latest update, up from 221 on August 3. Health officials note, however, that transmission remains low during the current interseasonal period, so the immediate focus stays on gastroenteritis.

The coming weeks will test how quickly the island’s public health response can contain the outbreak. With classrooms now open and children mixing daily, the conditions for accelerated spread are in place. Whether the combination of hygiene guidance, vaccination uptake, and hospital capacity proves sufficient is the question Reunion’s health authorities will be answering in real time. Additional details on the outbreak are available at la1ere.franceinfo.fr/reunion/les-cas-de-gastro-enterites-aigues-en-hausse-a-la-reunion-1729846.html.