In Tokyo, even if the test for the new coronavirus is positive, the number of people who cannot be hospitalized or treated is increasing rapidly, and even those who need to be hospitalized are waiting at home one after another.


In addition, due to the rapid spread of infection in Tokyo, it was found that the beds that can be hospitalized for patients who have undergone artificial dialysis and are infected with the new coronavirus are now full.

"Admission adjustment" difficult to work at the health center

According to the data presented at the expert meeting of the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, the number of people who are being hospitalized or receiving medical treatment in Tokyo


was more than 700 in the week until the 5th of last month, but


26 last month. In the week leading up to the day, there were more than 1,700 people,


and in


the following week until the 2nd of this month, there were more than 3,000 people.


It has quadrupled in about a month.



In addition to the increase in the number of positive people due to the rapid spread of infection, it seems that the background is that it is taking time to secure hospitalization and medical treatment due to the tightness of beds and accommodation facilities.



At the Kita Ward Public Health Center in Tokyo, the number of infected people has increased significantly since last month, and it is now confirmed that about 50 people are infected a day, which is almost double the number at the beginning of last month.



We have increased the number of staff from the initial 5 to 20, but the more difficult thing is to adjust hospitalization and accommodation treatment.



The health center decides whether to have a person who has become infected is hospitalized at a medical institution or to be treated at home or accommodation, and adjusts the destination.



A total of nine staff members are working, but due to the fact that the number of infected people has increased significantly and the staff members are out of hand, and that the beds are tight and it takes time to find a hospital. , Nearly half of the newly infected people have no destination on the same day.



For this reason, there are a number of cases in which people who should be hospitalized have to wait at home.



These people are concerned about sudden changes in their symptoms, and the health center checks their health by contacting them twice a day, morning and evening.



It is said that this has greatly increased the burden on staff.



In some cases, the symptoms change suddenly at night, and in that case, the staff seeks a medical institution to accept them, but in some cases they are all too tight to be hospitalized immediately.

Hideo Maeda, director of the Kita Ward Public Health Center, said, "The work of the public health center is getting tight and reaching its limits. The biggest concern is that some patients cannot be hospitalized even though they have symptoms due to strict hospitalization adjustments. It is becoming difficult to adjust the acceptance of accommodation treatment. The situation has already exceeded the capacity after passing the sense of crisis. The only way to improve this situation is to reduce the number of infected people, and many people I want you to take the current situation seriously. "

Aiming further increase of 600 beds, but the prospect is not stand

In response to the rapid spread of the infection, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government aims to secure 1,700 beds by increasing the number of beds that accept patients with the new coronavirus by 600 at the metropolitan hospitals set up by the city.



Infection is spreading rapidly in Tokyo, and experts in Tokyo point out that if the current infection situation continues, there is a possibility that inpatients will greatly exceed the 4000 beds secured in the entire city. I am.



Since there is an urgent need to secure more beds, the city will have 14 hospitals, including the "Tokyo Metropolitan Hospital" and the "Public Corporation Hospital" established by the public corporation of the Tokyo policy cooperation organization, and will increase 600 beds from now. became.



The city is now, have explained that to ensure the 1100 floor at 14 hospitals, but will be 1700 beds to suit the more 600-bed, or prospect can be secured to indefinitely is not standing, as early as possible I want to secure it.



On the other hand, in order to reduce the burden on the work of the tight health center, the city will extend the night hospitalization and transfer destination adjustment work jointly performed by the health center in Tokyo during the year-end and New Year holidays by another month. became.



This means that multiple health centers will take turns and doctors and nurses will gather at the Tokyo Metropolitan Government to respond.

Beds that can be hospitalized for dialysis patients in Tokyo are also full

Patients undergoing dialysis due to severe kidney disease, etc. are more likely to become severely ill and die when infected with the new coronavirus, so in principle, they have been hospitalized.



However, due to the rapid spread of infection, the number of dialysis patients infected with the new corona has risen to 700 nationwide as of the 7th, and the number has increased by nearly 100 in the past week alone, and the new corona has been infected. It was found that the beds in Tokyo, where infected dialysis patients can be hospitalized, are now full.



Since dialysis cannot be stopped even if hospitalization is not possible, the organization that coordinates the hospitalization destination of dialysis patients responds to dialysis clinics in private rooms or at different times, and dialysis patients infected with the new corona. We are calling for continued acceptance by taking measures against infection so that other patients do not come into contact with it.

Kan Kikuchi, chairman of the working group that takes measures at the Japan Dialysis Medical Association, said, "In the dialysis field," medical collapse "has begun rather than" tightness. "General clinics that continue dialysis do not have infectious disease specialists. Therefore, it is a heavy mental burden. We have to reduce the number of patients during the declaration of an emergency. "

Tokyo Medical Association "A state of overcoming the embankment of medical care"

Masataka Inoguchi, Vice Chairman of the Tokyo Medical Association, said in an interview with NHK, "Tokyo has 4,000 beds, but if the number of patients increases at this pace, there are now about 3,000 inpatients. However, it is estimated that there will be about 4,000 people in two weeks and about 6,700 people in four weeks. There is a possibility that there will be a considerable number of people who cannot be hospitalized, far exceeding the 4,000 beds they have secured. " I showed a sense of crisis.



Regarding this situation, "I feel like a disaster now, and I am protecting the flow of the river with a medical embankment, but now the number of patients is increasing rapidly and I am overcoming the embankment. Water has just begun to overflow. I think. "



On top of that, he said, "People who have been hospitalized and have been watching the situation have become more and more hospitalized. I think that having to take care of yourself at home with anxiety is a very difficult situation. It also increases the likelihood of sudden changes in symptoms, so we need to closely monitor our health. "



He also points out that the spread of infection also affects general medical care.



Vice Chairman Inoguchi said, "Hospitals that support the new corona are also in charge of critical care, and they will turn beds for general illnesses such as cancer, myocardial infarction, and stroke to corona, so such medical care will be wrinkled. There is a good chance that it will hinder you. "



He added, "Healthcare workers are working hard, but there is a tragedy that cannot save lives. I want you to take action to reduce the number of infected people."