A vast pneumococcal vaccination campaign has started at a Marseille shipyard. The Mediterranean Infection Hospital Institute (IHU) at Timone Hospital is at the forefront on this subject. This epidemic has nothing to do with the “medical returnees” who have returned from Wuhan, China, to flee the coronavirus, who are being cared for near Marseilles. "But that gives extra work to our teams, who are all mobilized," said the hospital.
The IHU has indeed detected 16 cases of pneumococcal infection on people working on the repair of a cruise ship, the "Norwegian Spirit". The ship is currently in dry dock in form 10 of the port of Marseille, the largest in the Mediterranean and the third in the world.
Two workers were hospitalized at the IHU and one of them is still in intensive care. The bacterium streptococcus pneumoniae can cause pulmonary and ENT infections, but also be the cause of more severe forms of invasive infections, as specified by the Regional Health Agency which is organizing a massive vaccination campaign on the site.
"The biggest fear is to contaminate children"
Form 10, where 4,000 people of 13 different nationalities work, including many posted workers subcontracted by the shipowner as well as crew members, has been officially confined. Their vaccination on a voluntary basis started there on Sunday and continues on Monday, with doctors and firefighters.
The 152 French workers on the site as well as the employees of the port exercised their right of withdrawal on Friday and no longer approach form 10, continuing work on other basins, those of forms 8 and 9 distant 2 km. “Everyone is worried, it is an anxiety-provoking climate. The biggest fear is to bring this bacteria home and contaminate children. If I had not been feverish, I would have been vaccinated, "says Jérôme Amata who works on this site belonging to the Italians of San Giorgio del Porto.
"We stopped all flows between the different forms, but we had another case this morning," said Daniel Tartaroli, CGT delegate who organized a general information meeting. "We ask for guarantees for our health from our employer and the State," he said.
