Marine firefighters trace Covid-19 -

Christophe Simon / AFP

  • The presence of Covid-19 detected in Marseille's wastewater has tripled in one week.

  • This unusual increase, concentrated in the northern districts, remains unexplained.

  • It causes concern among caregivers.

The numbers are enough to make you sweat cold.

Last week, the marine firefighters, who carry out weekly surveys in the wastewater of Marseille, had detected 695 copies of Covid-19 per milliliter, a slight increase compared to the previous week.

This week, according to the latest data released by the battalion on Wednesday, that figure stands at… 2,271.

That is to say a rate multiplied by three in just a few days.

Alerted to the now high to very high circulation of the virus in our @marseille, we must more than ever PROTECT our loved ones and vulnerable people.

RESPECT barrier gestures 🙌 🙏 @ MarinsPompiers @ARSPaca @aphm_actu @IHU_Marseille pic.twitter.com/w3Vlr88oES

- Marins-Pompiers de Marseille (@MarinsPompiers) February 3, 2021

"Until now, we had known a very stable situation, a kind of plateau that had lasted for three to four weeks, analyzes Rear Admiral Patrick Augier, commander of the battalion of marine firefighters in Marseille.

But last weekend, we saw a marked acceleration of the phenomenon.

We are not at the maximum rate, more than 3,000, that we observed in October, but we are not far.

However, we have never seen this, such an explosion in such a short time.

"

Concentrated on a few districts

This exponential increase is carried out in a concentrated manner, on the most disadvantaged districts of Marseille.

"The phenomenon occurs on a sort of coastal strip in the north of Marseille, which goes roughly from the Belle-de-Mai district to the North districts", notes the rear admiral.

And to add: “It has been a week since we have to set up a reinforced activity.

We do a lot of interventions in schools for tests and disinfection.

Thus, before Christmas, we do between five and ten interventions per day.

Now, we oscillate between 25 and 30, and we will prioritize the areas in red alert.

"

"The figures of marine firefighters are an indicator to take into account," notes epidemiologist Pascal Auquier, professor of public health at the Public Assistance of Hospitals of Marseille (AP-HM).

We have to watch this.

However, it must be taken with weight, since we note that the incidence rate has stabilized over the last five days in the department.

"

"We are going to take a hearty boost"

Thus, this rate rises this week to 395 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, against 397 last week and 327 the previous week.

"But you have to wait a second week to know if it is a plateau, or if, on the contrary, it could explode", recalls Pascal Auquier.

However, the epidemiologist does not hide his concern.

"If the outbreak observed by marine firefighters is confirmed in a fortnight in hospitals, we will take a substantial boost."

The resuscitation services at the AP-HM are indeed filling up quickly.

"These figures do not surprise me," alarmed Audrey Jolibois, FO general secretary at the AP-HM.

We see people coming all the time.

And the concern is that we are not able to face a meteoric wave.

We are short of staff!

And the teams are tired.

The physical is not there for a long time.

Morale either.

"

This concern is all the more acute as, for the time being, this explosion remains unexplained.

Several sources evoke an increased presence of the Covid-19 variant in the second city of France, without certainty.

Asked about this subject, the Regional Health Agency, empowered to communicate on these issues, did not respond to our requests at the time of this writing.

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  • Marseilles

  • Firefighters

  • epidemic

  • Covid 19

  • Coronavirus