At the Marseille hospital of Timone, the intensive care unit "close to saturation"

INTERVIEW

"We have 15 'Covid beds', of which 14 are taken."

Two days after the announcements by the Minister of Health, Olivier Véran, which notably placed Marseille in a zone of "maximum alert" for the circulation of the coronavirus, Nicolas Bruder takes stock of the health situation in the Marseille city.

Invited from Europe Morning this Friday, the head of the intensive care unit of the hospital of Timone notes a "constant increase in both the number of hospitalized patients and in intensive care since September". 

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A single free "Covid bed" in the intensive care unit of the Timone 

"In my department, where there are 20 intensive care beds, we have 15 'Covid beds', of which 14 are taken," he adds.

Nicolas Bruder's service is therefore "close to saturation, both in patients with Covid, but also those victims of another pathology".

Because it is one of the big differences with the first wave of last spring that he points: there is no confinement.

So the resuscitation service of Timone continues "to have a 'normal' activity" in addition to the epidemic. 

But, like the decision taken Thursday by the AP-HP (Paris Hospitals) to deprogram up to 20% of non-essential operations, this "normal activity" may not last.

"If this continues to increase, not only will we have to consider [a similar measure], but it will be unavoidable," he confirms. 

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"We cannot let things evolve like this without doing anything"

As to whether the decision to completely close the bars and restaurants in Marseille is justified, Nicolas Bruder kicks in, arguing that it is a "political" decision.

Nevertheless, the specialist recalls that "we cannot let things evolve like that without doing anything".

"If the situation continues for two or three weeks at the same rate, it will become unmanageable."

Conversely, if "everyone is careful, the epidemic will regress and we can lift the closures of bars and restaurants which are a little discriminatory".