The first patient strongly suspected of having Coronavirus Covid-19 died on Monday 23rd March 2020, at the Châteaubriant hospital (Loire-Atlantique).
For the past week, around ten patients with symptoms of coronavirus have been hospitalized. Six tested positive. The Châteaubriant hospital center (Loire-Atlantique) is experiencing a first “thrill” in the Covid-19 epidemic.
Monday, March 23, 2020, the first patient strongly suspected of having the virus died . The almost 90-year-old man had tested negative but still had all the symptoms of the disease.
A reliable test but …
According to Éric Maneuvrerier , director of the Châteaubriant-Nozay-Pouancé hospital , the samples taken from the patient would not have made it possible to detect the virus.
“The test is 100% reliable, but the samples were taken from the nose, and in 30% of cases, the virus can be found elsewhere, in the lungs or abdomen.”
The death is therefore not officially counted in the national statistics linked to Covid-19.
A unit dedicated to Covid-19 since Wednesday
As a final point, Thursday March 26, 220, six patients hospitalized in Châteaubriant tested positive for the virus. Most of them come from several Ehpad (Accommodation establishments for dependent elderly people) in the area.
A total of ten patients, tested or suspected of having the disease, are currently hospitalized at the hospital. The Châteaubriant hospital had to deal with this first wave.
“The 13-bed hospital area dedicated to suspected or proven Covid-19 patients was quickly filled.”
The hospital is reorganized
The hospital organized itself accordingly.
“We decided, as of Wednesday, to dedicate the entire 26-bed unit to Covid19 patients. These are people with acute respiratory syndromes, who justify hospitalization. This unit dedicated to Covid-19 and isolated from the rest of the hospital will facilitate our work.”
“We are above the iceberg”
The majority of people hospitalized are relatively old. 28 beds at the hospital and 20 at the Sainte-Marie clinic are currently vacant and available to cope with the arrival of new patients. A significant number which is also explained by the halving of emergency room attendance, linked to containment measures.
“We are above the iceberg,” says Eric Maneuver. Last week, we only had one or two suspected cases. For the moment, we are not overwhelmed, but we are doing everything to prepare for an important arrival of patients. ”
“The epidemic is here”
The head of the establishment remains hopeful that the implementation of containment in the Pays de la Loire region, one of the last regions affected by the virus, will have a positive effect on its progress. In addition, the Châteaubriant hospital and all the establishments affected by the epidemic in the territory should soon receive masks.
“The ARS (Regional Health Agency) has released 500,000 masks for the Nantes University Hospital, which is to dispatch them in the region in the coming days. We will be able to have a sufficient number of masks to apply the barrier measures. Today we only have one week in stock.”
Eric Maneuver, however, wants the population to realize that the epidemic is present. “Châteaubriant is not going to be miraculously spared. The epidemic is there. It is therefore necessary to respect the rules even more to slow down its progress. “
