The French authorities evacuated several patients with coronavirus on board the Tonnerre assault helicopter carrier warship on Sunday in Ajaccio on the French island of Corsica.
Tonnerre assault helicopter carrier warship (Picture source: Wikipedia)
Ambulances and other emergency vehicles could be seen approaching the docked ship, and driving up ramps to board it.
The evacuation will "allow the Ajaccio hospital to face the wave that we are anticipating with a bit of respite," as Corsica expects more infections in the coming weeks, said regional police chief, Franck Robine.
The patients will be transferred to the south of France if "if all goes well, where they are expected to be evacuated to Marseille's hospital facilities," said Tonnerre's captain, Arnaud Tranchant.
According to the latest figures compiled from global reports by Johns Hopkins University, at least 315,500 people have been infected by COVID-19 worldwide and over 13,500 people have died. There have currently been 14,485 cases confirmed in France with at least 562 deaths.
