Local newspaper La Voix du Nord reported a woman had threatened to detonate a bomb at the hospital site, and that the surrounding area had been cordoned off.
The woman has reportedly also taken hostages.
Police have locked down the area and one floor of the hospital has been evacuated.
Photos posted on the newspaper’s Twitter feed showed police vehicles sealing off the area.
The hospital is being searched.
Police sources confirmed the operation was underway but said it was too early to determine whether the threat was terrorism-related or perhaps due to psychological problems.
Reports suggest the woman arrived at the emergency room of the hospital this morning and said there were explosives in the building.
Another police source suggested it was likely to be a false alarm.
More to follow…