The Pierre Bérégovoy hospital in Nevers (Nièvre) is facing a real third wave of the epidemic. Saturated, it suffers the full brunt of the increase in the epidemic. Doctor El Hadi Djerad is worried.
–
On Wednesday March 24, Gabriel Attal, government spokesperson, announced that the Nièvre as well as the Rhône and Aube should go under reinforced braking measures. Indeed, in recent weeks, the epidemic situation in Nièvre has been worrying. The incidence rate doubled in two weeks: from 146 at the start of the month to 329 on March 20. The alert threshold, set at 250 per 100,000 inhabitants, has been greatly exceeded. We met doctor Mohamed El Hadi DJERAD at the Pierre Beregovoy hospital in Nevers (Nièvre).
- What is the current situation at the hospital center?
We have had an occupancy rate of 100% for almost a month. We have extended our capabilities as much as possible. All units are open and in demand. Our resources are 16 beds and we are already at saturation point. We are in a crisis situation which is already forcing us to transfer patients. We have two transfer modes: intra-departments and extra-departments. Fortunately, the modes of intra-departmental transfer are the recovering patients. They arrive at seven days of hospitalization with a negative PCR test or at 14 days of hospitalization. If their condition improves, they go out to other structures. This therefore saves us places to welcome patients.
We have almost a 60 to 65% rate of British variant in our patients.
- What is the role of the British variant in this phenomenon?
It is a variant which is essential. We have almost a 60 to 65% rate of British variant among our patients. The risk of transmission of this variant is very high and unfortunately the clinical pictures are very severe. This means that one must extend the length of the patient’s hospitalization in this case.
At a certain point, we have the impression that we cannot see the end of the tunnel.
- Have you returned to a situation which is comparable to that of the first confinement? Did you get past this situation?
By analogy with the first wave, there is a fairly rapid increase in the incidence rate, which will at some point lead to an equally rapid drop. This third wave is more serious and more serious. The increase in the incidence rate is fairly gradual. It’s a suffocating, exponential wave. Even if it is extended in time, it is ascending. At a certain point, we have the impression that we cannot see the end of the tunnel. The number of patients is increasing. The means that were used for the first wave in order to reduce this pressure on the hospital are already exhausted. This third wave, while not too brutal at first, is impressive. It is overwhelming us. It easily exceeds our means, our capacities.
