As in the spring, the upsurge in new cases of coronavirus raises fears of saturation of hospitals.
Currently, their occupancy rate for patients with Covid-19 is flirting with the 50% mark.
Far from the 136% (and therefore well beyond the initial capacities) of the first wave.
Hospital pressure, which is stronger in certain regions, once again forced hospitals to transfer patients to other territories in France, and even Germany, last October.
In the spring, at the height of the first wave, these interregional transfers had taken the form of medicalized military planes, TGVs and even ships.
In total, nearly 650 patients had been moved from regions heavily impacted by the crisis - mainly in the east and Île-de-France - to the west of France, according to a count from the Ministry of Health.