Reunion’s emergency departments are already feeling the strain. Public health authorities confirmed this week that the island has entered a full flu epidemic, with hospital visits and primary care consultations climbing sharply as respiratory illness spreads across the population.
Children are bearing the brunt of it. Data shows that 74 percent of those seeking urgent care are under 15 years old, a pattern consistent with seasonal flu in younger populations. Community medical practices report the same picture: consultations for acute respiratory infections have been rising for three weeks running. A recent cold spell appears to have accelerated the virus’s spread, pushing epidemiological thresholds past the point that triggers an official epidemic declaration.
Three strains are circulating simultaneously. The dominant variant is A(H1N1)pdm09, the strain responsible for the 2009 global pandemic. Two others, A(H3N2) and influenza B, are also present on the island. The prevalence of H1N1 makes vaccination coverage especially consequential for those most vulnerable to severe illness.
That coverage, at present, is thin. A vaccination campaign launched in May prioritized people over 65, pregnant women, those with chronic diseases, immunocompromised individuals, and healthcare workers. Yet as of early 2025, only around 41,000 residents had received flu shots out of 228,000 people eligible. That leaves the vast majority of high-risk residents without protection.
The gap raises hard questions about barriers to access, awareness, and willingness to participate in preventive health measures. Public health authorities have set clear guidance on who should be vaccinated. The distance between that guidance and actual uptake suggests the message is not reaching everyone it needs to.
Meanwhile, some residents are managing symptoms through traditional remedies rooted in local practice. Herbal infusions made from eucalyptus, lemongrass, verbena, cinnamon, geranium, cherry leaf, and benjamin are commonly brewed at home. Rest, across all approaches, remains the consistent cornerstone of recovery advice.
The concentration of cases among children will place particular pressure on family routines in the weeks ahead. Emergency departments, already seeing elevated traffic, face a further test of capacity if the outbreak accelerates. The health system’s ability to absorb that volume without disruption to other services is not guaranteed.
Santé publique France, the national public health agency, is monitoring the epidemic’s trajectory. Its current assessment of limited health impact could shift quickly if severe cases emerge among older adults or people with underlying conditions. For residents who are eligible and have not yet been vaccinated, the window to act before the outbreak peaks is narrowing.