A new evacuation operation intended to relieve hospitals in Ile-de-France, the main epidemic focus in France with the Grand Est region, was underway on Friday, April 10 in the morning. Nearly 50 patients were to be transferred to the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, we learned from a source close to the health authorities.

A total of 48 evacuations were planned on two medical trains. This number "may have to change during the day" depending on the state of health of patients, transfers can only be made for patients "stabilized", said this source.

Two trains were made available to health authorities by SNCF for this operation. Patients had to leave from the Gare d'Austerlitz and join establishments located in Bordeaux, Angoulême and Poitiers.

Since April 1, nearly 200 patients have already been evacuated from Ile-de-France by road, rail or air to regions less affected by the coronavirus, notably Brittany, Normandy and the Pays de la Loire , in order to unclog hospitals in Ile-de-France.

With AFP

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