Paris (AFP)

In the intensive care unit of the Montreuil hospital, in the Paris suburbs, all the beds are occupied by Covid-19 patients.

Every day, two to three patients must be transferred to other structures, "a situation of great tension and great anticipatory anxiety".

"Today we are full Covid, we have no more room", explains to AFP Cécile Cotelle, a care manager in this 15-bed service.

However, "every day, in the hospital, we have an increase in the number of patients who need to go to intensive care," adds Vincent Das, head of the service.

"We are told about 2,200 patients in intensive care in 15 days in Ile-de-France but where to put them?".

In this service, bright, with wide white and lilac corridors, as many women as men.

All sick with Covid-19.

A pregnant woman was taken care of there.

She gave birth.

"The baby is fine. His mother remains on oxygen," explains a nurse from the André Grégoire hospital center.

Around her, a lot of middle-aged patients, 50/65 years old, a few people aged 70 to 75 and a few young people.

"The same as in the first wave," notes the doctor.

In a room near the "PC", "one of the most serious patients", asleep, undergoes a colonoscopy.

Plunged in the half-light of the half-lowered blinds, a doctor, an intern, two nurses and a nursing assistant, over-gowns and masks required, scrutinize the path of the optical fiber on a screen.

- "The patient is in the airlock" -

"By pushing the walls, by recovering all the staff possible, I hope to be able to open 3 more beds", explains Vincent Das.

Better, but ultimately little compared to the 700 additional beds that the ARS Ile-de-France asked to equip to face the 3rd wave.

The region has already tripled its capacity of intensive care beds, notes Vincent Das.

In a room invaded by machines, a patient kept in a medicated coma is turned over on his stomach.

A very technical, very physical act, which requires six people.

If for a year, "we have made progress in understanding the disease", with the use of corticosteroid-based treatments, anticoagulant drug strategy, better management of antibiotics, oxygen, mechanical ventilation. .. Everything remains complicated.

"It's easy to say + we just have to open additional resuscitation beds. + But we need staff to keep them running," explains Vincent Das.

Especially since the hospital still welcomes non-Covid patients, some of whom need resuscitation, and the effects of the new restrictions decided on Wednesday by the government will not be felt immediately.

"The patient is in the airlock!" Intones a loudspeaker.

A bed vacated a few hours earlier will soon be occupied by a 75-year-old woman whose condition has just worsened.

An oxygen mask on her face, the patient watches the corridor go by, lying on her bed.

Out of four patients who return to the hospital with the Covid, at least one will need to go into intensive care.

During the first wave, the service had been able to increase to 25 critical care beds because former nurses who had left for the provinces had returned, interns had piled up, doctors postponed their retirement ... But today, “People don't necessarily come to help us anymore, they are tired too,” admits Virginie, an intensive care aide for 10 years.

All that remains is the reinforcements that can be mobilized internally, by deprogramming care.

And "loose teams".

"The first wave caused damage. Today we have eight vacant positions", explains Cécile Cotelle for whom "supporting the teams as much as possible so that they do not crack is an everyday issue".

"We had been told that it was going to happen. Here, in April, we are right in it."

© 2021 AFP