Variants of COVID-19 are increasingly attacking young people who had no health problems, including a young father who was admitted to intensive care at the hospital. ‘Honoré-Mercier Hospital in Saint-Hyacinthe, Montérégie.
The 36-year-old father was admitted two weeks ago to the hospital’s intensive care unit, where TVA Nouvelles had exclusive access.
In the hot intensive care area of this facility, nurses and doctors are worried. Four of the eleven beds on the unit reserved for patients with COVID-19 are almost all occupied by patients between the ages of 36 and 50.
“We have young people, which we had not known in the first and second waves,” said the nurse and head of the unit, Corine Lajoie.
“Two of these young patients were placed on a ventilator,” added Dr.r Jocelyn Brunet, head of intensive care at the Integrated Health and Social Services Center (CISSS) of Montérégie-Est.
The patients, including a 36-year-old father who arrived two weeks ago, are infected with the British variant.
“It is surprising. He had no comorbidities, no illnesses. He was in great shape, ”assured the Dr Brunet.
For two weeks, he took heavy medication to put him to sleep and receive mechanical ventilation.
For security reasons, TVA Nouvelles did not have access to his room and spoke to him remotely using a cell phone.
“Fatigue is fine. It’s more the dizziness when I get up that bothers me, ”he said, his voice weak.
He doesn’t know where he got infected with COVID-19. He telecommuted from home and only went out to drive his six-year-old daughter to school and shop for groceries.
His wife was also infected, but is doing well. He fears the very long period of rehabilitation that will follow.
“I didn’t think that by waking up, I couldn’t walk,” he testified.
The father does not know when he will be able to leave the hospital, but on average, these young patients stay from three weeks to a month in intensive care.
Sylvain’s mother is worried, because she cannot go to see him, the risks of infection being too great.
“I know he needs me. It’s trying for a mother, ”said Aline Bouete, who has kind words for nurses and doctors who answer her many phone calls and keep her constantly informed.
Before going through intensive care, some of these COVID-19 patients stayed in another unit at Saint-Hyacinthe hospital which is now at full capacity, with all 15 beds occupied.
The pressure is increasing on critical care units, as other very ill people also need care.
If in a few days the number of COVID-19 patients continues to increase, it could mean that several people did not follow health rules over Easter, according to the intensive care team.
They are in a race against time and therefore hope that vaccination will accelerate to counter the variants that are increasingly affecting young adults.
–
