Regarding priority measures such as preventing the spread of new corona measures, the government has decided to extend the deadline for 17 prefectures such as Osaka until the 6th of next month, while 5 prefectures such as Okinawa will cancel it with the deadline of 20 days.



Shigeru Omi, chairman of the "Basic Coping Policy Subcommittee," said, "The biggest challenge facing the expansion of Omicron strains is the increase in infection among the elderly, many people are hospitalized, and the severely ill and die. The number of people is increasing. "



We will tell you how the bed usage rate and the number of infected people in each region are changing, and the situation of the tight medical system in severe regions.

Bed utilization data in each area

Comparing the start time of priority measures such as spread prevention with the bed usage rate and bed usage rate for the severely ill as of 16th this month, 17 prefectures whose extension policy was decided on 18th and already until 6th next month. All 14 prefectures, including 1 metropolitan area and 3 prefectures, such as Tokyo, where the application was decided, are increasing.

In particular, the bed usage rate in 19 prefectures such as Osaka, Fukuoka, and Hyogo exceeds 50%.

On the other hand, in the five prefectures where it was decided to cancel the priority measures such as prevention of spread, the bed usage rate for severely ill people is low or the number of infected people is decreasing.

What's happening in various places

In areas where the situation is harsh ...

<Accepting critically ill patients who exceed the number of beds secured>



At Kano General Hospital in Kita-ku, Osaka, we have secured 2 beds for critically ill patients and 21 beds for moderately ill patients to deal with patients infected with the new corona. However, the number of hospitalized patients has increased rapidly since the end of last month.



As of the 17th, the number of severely ill patients has exceeded the secured 7 severely ill beds, and the moderately ill beds are almost full.



Shigeteru Kano, president of the hospital's corporation, said, "It is clear that Omicron strains are not attenuated for the elderly. It takes three to five times as many staff to accept critically ill patients, and the ward is quite large. It's a heavy burden. "



Hospitals are also having a major impact on the acceptance of general emergency patients.



In order to avoid nosocomial infections, we also inspect patients for the new corona for general emergency transport, but the rate of confirmed infection is close to 30%, and if there is no space in the bed for new corona patients. , There are situations where transportation is unacceptable.

Mr. Kano said, "February is a very burdensome month, but at the same time, the infection has spread and the site has become a double pain. It is necessary to create a system that allows patients who are calm to be transferred to another hospital promptly. "

<Convert all internal intensive care units for new corona patients>



In the internal medical intensive care unit of Nagoya University Hospital, all 15 beds are converted exclusively for new corona patients, and an artificial respirator is required. We have accepted seriously ill patients who become.



It has been increasing mainly for the elderly for about two weeks, and more than 10 beds have been filled on the 18th.

Dr. Naonori Yamamoto, who is treating the patient, is also focusing on rehabilitation of patients with ventilators so that as many critically ill patients as possible can be accepted, but he said that it will take time for the elderly to recover. "The state of bicycle operation has been going on for the past few weeks. The burden on medical institutions is increasing at an unprecedented level," he said.

<Elderly people could not be hospitalized and died at the facility>



At the end of last month, at the elderly facility in Osaka Prefecture, it was confirmed that one of the residents was infected with the new corona, and an inspection was conducted. , A large-scale cluster occurred that infects 33 people, which is 80%.



At the facility, I requested a visit to a nearby hospital and received treatment, but it was diagnosed that two residents needed to be hospitalized immediately because their symptoms were getting worse.



At the facility, I asked the health center to hospitalize two people, but I couldn't find a hospital for a man in his 80s, and although he continued to take care of him, he died at the facility afterwards.

An official at the facility said that the resident had died, "There was no doctor at the facility and I could only watch over it. It is a pity that I could have saved my life if I was hospitalized early." ..



After that, he said, "I want you to create a system that allows critically ill people to be hospitalized with the highest priority so that they can be seen at the hospital immediately when needed."

Expert "Medical field from now on, additional vaccinations for elderly people, etc."

Atsuro Hamada, a specially appointed professor at Tokyo Medical University, who is familiar with infectious diseases, said, "I think that the number of newly infected people has exceeded the peak. However, the rate of decrease is still not so fast. I can't say that, even in Okinawa, which is ahead of the others, the rate of decrease is gradual, and just because it has decreased, we cannot be relieved. From now on, the medical field is going to be a crucial moment. "



On top of that, "Until the" 5th wave "where the Delta strain was the mainstream, the virus itself was highly pathogenic, and in many cases it caused pneumonia and died. There is a situation where the number of people dying due to the worsening of the original disease is increasing. It is necessary to continue to focus on measures to make it easier for home care recipients to receive medical care by expanding the beds and examination system. It is also important to proceed with booster vaccination as soon as possible for people who are at high risk of becoming severely ill. "