It has been six years since the French doctor Philippe Klein put his suitcases in Wuhan, this Chinese city epicenter of the coronavirus. When the French authorities announced last week the repatriation of his nationals to France, there was no question of him packing up. In a quarter of an hour, his decision was made. "I am much more useful here" to help the French community, says the head doctor of the International clinic in this city of 11 million inhabitants. Between two consultations, he tells France 24 about his daily life.

According to a latest report from the Chinese authorities, more than 20,000 people are infected with the coronavirus and 425 died from it in western China. What is the medical situation there?

We are in the ascending phase of the epidemic. There is a linear and not exponential spread, in particular due to the containment measures implemented in the city since mid-January. Given the twelve-day incubation period, the peak of the epidemic should arrive around February 8.

How is the Chinese hospital world managing this health crisis?

There are more and more operational hospital beds. Particularly with the opening of the famous hospital built in ten days. It receives around fifty patients, those who present the most severe forms of infections and who require significant care. On the staff side, the medical teams are in sufficient numbers and are particularly motivated. We must salute their courage.

On the other hand, Chinese hospitals are facing a lack of protective equipment for medical personnel, which limits them at the operational level. This may seem paradoxical since the manufacturers of medical materials (masks, protective equipment) are Chinese, but Beijing must now urgently buy back stocks from foreign countries.

>> Read: How Wuhan coronavirus can contaminate the economy

Do you take specific measures during your consultations?

To avoid contaminating my patients, I prefer visits to expatriate homes. Before each consultation, I put my full protection in my car, with my gloves and my mask. I was able to restock myself thanks to the stock transported by the French planes in charge of the evacuation of the French expatriates.

Are there many French people left in Wuhan today?

There are only a few dozen left. We are in a ghost town where everyone stays cloistered at home. Large companies have evacuated all their employees with their families. My wife and son got into the second plane. It was a very difficult choice, but as a doctor, I take the risk of bringing viruses home. Given the medical context, it is better to avoid being confronted with health problems and having to go to hospitals that are now overcrowded.

Who are the people most at risk?

The people who died from the coronavirus basically had poor health. Either they were old or they presented other pathologies. I am currently young foreigners infected with coronavirus but their development is favorable. It is a sign that spring and sunny days will return to Wuhan.

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