November 14 At the beginning of the outbreak of the Coronavirus pandemic this year, Strasbourg and its surrounding areas became the epicenter of the French epidemic, seeking assistance from other regions. Now, when the second wave of the epidemic hits, Strasbourg has retaliated by opening up medical resources to other places to treat patients.
Reuters reported that the area where Strasbourg was located was the first and the most severe in France. The intensive care unit was overwhelmed and some patients were transferred to other parts of France and even neighboring countries for treatment.
French Prime Minister Jean Castel said on the 12th that France is facing an extremely serious second wave of the coronavirus pandemic, and the medical system is under great pressure. At present, 32,683 COVID-19 patients are hospitalized nationwide, exceeding the peak of the pandemic in April, and 4,899 of them are receiving treatment in the intensive care unit. On the 12th, 319 people in the Strasbourg area were receiving intensive care, compared with 844 critically ill patients in Lyon.
The helicopter that was used to transport patients to other places is sending patients into Strasbourg. Christopher Di Stefano and other crew members brought a patient from Lyon in a helicopter on the 13th and will pick up another patient the next day.
“We are reciprocating,” he told a Reuters reporter, “in the first wave of the epidemic, we were helped by other people. Now, we have the resources to treat patients and it is a good thing to help others reduce the burden.”
Hakim Azuk, a doctor working in Strasbourg, will take another helicopter to pick up patients later on the 13th. “We can fully imagine how they feel,” he said. “They will be very happy to see us.”
