This Monday morning, three army helicopters took off from the tarmac at Strasbourg-Entzheim airport with, on board, six patients with Covid-19. Their destination: Germany and Switzerland. In recent days, transfers of patients have multiplied to relieve Alsatian hospitals, on the front line of the epidemic.
Among the six patients transferred Monday to military equipment, two were hospitalized in Saverne, in the north of the Bas-Rhin. “They were transferred near Frankfurt, specifies Mélanie Viatoux, the director of the hospital. They were found to be transferable based on their state of health. That is to say that their condition is relatively stabilized - as much as it can be in intensive care - to be able to support the ambulance and the helicopter. "
Being able to welcome other patients
For the director of the establishment, transfers must continue, because the epidemic is "still on an upward slope". "Alsace uses transfers to meet the care needs," continues Mélanie Viatoux. This allows us to welcome new patients in intensive care. Out of 956 people hospitalized, the Bas-Rhin counted this Sunday 241 patients in intensive care. In Saverne, the capacity of the intensive care unit has increased from 8 to 20 beds.
In the Haut-Rhin, the Colmar hospital went up to 50 resuscitation beds reserved for patients with Covid-19 on Sunday, compared to 30 beds in total under normal circumstances. "Without the transfers, our capacity would have exploded," said Doctor Jean-François Cerfon, head of one of the hospital's resuscitation teams. We have to thank our German and Swiss neighbors. Friday evening, four Colmar patients were also flown to Limoges.
Doctor died in Metz
In a department of Haut-Rhin which had 111 resuscitation patients out of 1,053 patients on Sunday, pressure has remained strong in recent days. "Friday, when we released a resuscitation bed, we had three requests to occupy it," testifies doctor Jean-François Cerfon. Since then, the doctor mentions, "with great caution", having found "a slight improvement" which will have to be confirmed in the coming days.
A note of hope that does not stop but the bad news. This Monday evening, we learned of the death of a sixth doctor in France, a hospital practitioner in Metz. In Colmar, another doctor has been in intensive care for several days, in a very worrying state.
transfer
Coronavirus in Strasbourg: Transfer of patients to Germany is accelerating
Strasbourg
Coronavirus in the Grand-Est: The number of patients continues to increase