General hospitals have begun accepting patients infected with the new virus.
As the number of new coronavirus patients increases, hospitals other than designated medical institutions that accept patients with infectious diseases are beginning to accept patients at the request of local governments. However, some issues have been pointed out at these hospitals.
Although not a designated medical institution for infectious diseases, a hospital in the Kanto region accepted a patient infected with the new coronavirus on a cruise ship this month.
It is said that the hospital had been preparing for the infection by preparing a manual that summarized the routes and procedures for transporting patients to the hospital room, the masks and gloves to be used, and the handling of protective clothing.
However, when the infected patient was moved to the laboratory, it was not carried out as specified in the manual, so he passed the staff and other patients in the hallway.
An official at the hospital told the interviewer, "I accepted some positive patients this time, but I think there is a limit in ordinary hospitals that are not accustomed to infectious diseases. Not only doctors and nurses, but also many people, including inpatients and outpatients, come and go, so it is difficult to make them well known. "
At the hospital, the nurse responsible for the infected patient had a fever and is currently being examined and waiting at home.
A person concerned said, "I think that if the sloppy response continues, it will lead to infection in the hospital. I am very worried that there is no infection in the hospital without my knowledge."
"It is important to simulate again and again"
According to Mitsuo Kaku, a professor at Tohoku Medical and Pharmaceutical University who is familiar with infectious disease countermeasures, "With the spread of infections, the acceptance of patients other than designated medical institutions is expected to increase in the future. It is important to not only create a manual for accepting patients based on the guidelines of the United States and the country, but also share it with medical staff and simulate it over and over again. "
He said, "If you wear protective clothing such as gloves and masks properly and follow the manual, you do not need to be overly afraid."