how the flu gives the whole hospital a fever

A wave of flu can take a thousand forms. Large and deep swell which brings its new batch of patients every day, waves which tirelessly annoy the healthcare system, a rogue wave as brief as it is sudden… The emergency rooms, on the front line, are the thermometer of the crisis. But in reality it is the entire hospital which is impacted and which, each winter, must adapt its operations to the influx of fragile patients. A particularly strong influx this year: around a hundred establishments in France had to trigger their white plan, and 30% declared serious incidents following surges in the flu epidemic, according to a survey carried out by Samu – Urgences de France du January 9 to 12.

At the Narbonne Hospital Center, the celebrations were rather calm. Then « the flu exploded »says the D^r Alain Péret, head of the emergency department and president of the establishment medical commission. « The peak was on the 3rd January : we received 188 patients, compared to 120 to 150 on average, and we had to hospitalize 49 compared to around 25 usually. It was crazy, the boulevard in front of the hospital was completely blocked by fire trucks queuing to enter. ! » For a week, the service was always full. « We haven’t seen that since Covid.