François Bayrou Hospitalized with Severe Flu Amid France's Epidemic Surge

François Bayrou, the mayor of Pau and former Prime Minister, was hospitalized on Monday at the University Hospital of Pau due to a very severe flu, marking a notable health concern amid a sharp rise in influenza cases across France. Despite an improving condition requiring continued medical supervision, Bayrou has canceled all his official commitments this week, including the municipal council meeting on Monday and the community council scheduled for Thursday.

According to health authorities, influenza activity has surged nationwide since early December, with all mainland regions, except Corsica, reaching epidemic alert levels. Bayrou, aged 74 and serving as mayor since 2014, revealed during a December 5 citizen forum that he was already suffering from the flu prior to his hospitalization. Though he has yet to confirm his candidacy officially, Bayrou is widely expected to seek a third term in the municipal elections scheduled for March next year.

The city of Pau announced Bayrou's health is steadily improving yet mandates a few more days of close monitoring. This incident underscores the ongoing public health challenge posed by this season’s flu epidemic and its impact on public figures and governance.

Bayrou’s hospitalization serves as a reminder of the flu's severity this year, reflecting the warnings conveyed by Santé publique France, which recently emphasized the strong increase in flu cases and the resultant epidemic status across nearly all French regions.