The first Covid patient in Europe, Laurent Chu (left), with the director of the Bordeaux University Hospital Yann Bubien, and Prof. Denis Malvy -

Bordeaux University Hospital

  • Laurent Chu, 49, was hospitalized on January 23, 2020 in Bordeaux, while returning from Wuhan in China.

  • A year later, he comes back to this adventure, even if he explains today that he has "neither to shame nor pride".

  • Even though he only had a moderate form of Covid, he was placed in isolation for 25 days, which was "the most unbearable" according to him.

It is, officially, the first Covid patient in Europe.

The Bordeaux native of Chinese origin Laurent Chu, 49, sales advisor in the wine world, was hospitalized on January 23, 2020 at the Bordeaux University Hospital, while returning from Wuhan, the focus of the epidemic in China, in the part of his work.

His Covid was officially declared the next day, January 24.

A year later, he tells how he "trembled" from his isolation room, seeing "the panic of the world".

“I didn't infect anyone,” he insists.

I was the first patient, yes, but I did not infect anyone, ”he said in an interview with the daily

Sud Ouest

on Friday.

“I kissed my mother, my brother.

We shared meals together, they were not worried, moreover neither of them contracted the virus, ”he underlines.

Everything was disinfected after its passage

He presumes, "after having reflected and discussed with infectious disease specialists on (his) itinerary", that he caught the virus at Wuhan station.

"I had taken the train, and the station is next to the famous market where the virus was first detected."

On his return to Gironde, as soon as he felt the fever rising and started to cough, even if it seemed like a “big cold”, he “thought of this virus”.

And he "packed his suitcase" before going to consult SOS Médecins.

Everything was disinfected after its passage, the other patients traced and placed in quarantine, but also "those who were with me on the plane, all those who approached me".

"The most difficult, the most unbearable was this imprisonment"

Transferred to the Bordeaux University Hospital, in the infectious diseases department of infectious disease specialist Denis Malvy, Laurent Chu found himself 25 days in an isolation room, in intensive care, once the Covid was confirmed.

“We did not know the disease at that time, explains Professor Denis Malvy at

20 Minutes

, we did not have information on the level of contagiousness, so we treated the very first patients in negative pressure rooms.

This is why we placed him in a sheave, with maximum precautions, since we dressed as if it were an Ebola, whereas from February this type of patient was taken care of on an outpatient basis… ”

“They didn't know how to treat me,” recalls “patient zero”.

Paracetamol to bring down fever, but also antibiotics, Remdesivir.

“I knew they were experimenting with treatments, but I was not afraid (…).

I underwent repeated, regular examinations, I was scanned, observed ... "But," the most difficult, the most unbearable was this imprisonment, assures Laurent Chu.

All these days, without seeing outside.

The cough, the fever okay, it was hard.

I was watching the news, it made me tremble.

I saw the panic of the world, and I, locked up ”.

"Being the first European to be affected by this virus is beyond my control"

If he says today that he is well, he who had "never been sick until then", he admits not "to be inside all (his) organs to know the consequences".

But is delighted to "serve a purpose", via an agreement with Inserm for six months of monitoring of its medical data.

“What happened to me, being the first European to be affected by this virus, is beyond my control.

I have neither shame nor pride in it… I am not a ski champion!

He jokes.

Adding all the same that after having experimented with treatments, he would have liked to "experiment the vaccine first".

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