The municipality of Braine-l’Alleud has a stock of nearly 50,000 masks (surgical, FFP2, etc.) for emergency cases. This is renewed according to usage.
As for the Chirec hospital in Braine-l’Alleud, and as for the whole of Walloon Brabant, the situation is “under voltage, but not at saturation“, explains Virginie Laurent, director of the nursing department at Chirec in Braine-l’Alleud. She continues: “SOf the 120 patients who arrive per day in the emergency room, 10 to 20 come for the flu. In 9 years (to this function)this is the first time that a flu has been so virulent“. Recalling in passing that in addition to the flu, gastroenteritis and Covid are also present, although the latter is down compared to last year. Concerning the sick, she explains to first go to a doctor who will decide if it is necessary to go to the emergency room, which at the moment is in high demand.”Of the 300 patients at Chirec, 13 patients aged 13 to 93 occupy beds and need assistance“.
If the number of beds reserved for flu patients corresponds to one twentieth of the places, this means that all the beds are occupied and it is not possible to open others, as the law requires. Which means that there are no more reserves. “Ten days ago, we had to cancel non-urgent procedures and postpone them to accommodate patients with flu or gastroenteritis“. Nevertheless, Virginie Laurent explains that a certain turnover between cured patients and new ones ensures, for the moment, space.
