Some people who are infected with the new coronavirus and receive medical treatment at home hesitate to request an ambulance even if their symptoms worsen.
There have been a series of cases of death during home medical treatment, and experts are calling for "never put up with it and contact us as soon as possible."
A man in his 50s living in Kansai was suspected of being infected with the new coronavirus due to a high fever on the 8th of this month and underwent a PCR test, which turned out to be positive.
The man wanted to be hospitalized, but the health center contacted him saying, "I can't find an acceptable hospital."
At home, I lived with a wife in her 50s and a son and daughter in her 20s, and after isolating the room, I was treated at home.
He received a call from the health center once a day to check his health, but he said he was worried that he would not be seen by a doctor.
The man recalled, "I had a chill and a violent cough that made my body rattle and tremble. I had no underlying illness, but I was worried that it might change suddenly and die."
However, since it was originally said that there was no place to accept him, he did not call an ambulance, and even if he became ill, he was forced to continue medical treatment at home without seeing a doctor.
The man said, "I couldn't call an ambulance because I could see that there was no destination. I didn't know what was going on with my body and I was mentally driven." I'm talking.
About a week after the infection, a man visited a nearby clinic and found that his lungs were inflamed.
Expert "Contact us without patience even in cases of sudden deterioration"
Professor Kazuhiro Tateda of Toho University, who is the chairman of the Japanese Society of Infectious Diseases, said, "It is necessary to pay particular attention to dangerous signs such as difficulty breathing and purple lips. In some cases, it deteriorates rapidly during home medical treatment, so it is important to never put up with it and contact an emergency or medical institution as soon as possible. "
In addition, since patients often cannot make appropriate decisions on their own, doctors should strengthen measures such as visiting their homes directly, and then "actively visit home caregivers and look at their faces. Just looking at it will give you peace of mind, but there are not enough medical staff to take sufficient measures. Since the situation of infection spread and the medical system differ depending on the region, it is necessary for the local government to take measures in cooperation with the national government. I'm talking.
The number of home recuperators surged to 35,000
With the spread of the new coronavirus infection, the number of people receiving medical treatment at home continues to increase.
According to the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, the number of home care recipients was 1096 nationwide as of November 4, last year, but increased to 6429 on December 9, about a month later, and on the 6th of this month. The number increased sharply to 17,484 and 35,394 on the 20th.
Depending on the local government, various measures are being taken, such as lending a pulse oximeter to measure the oxygen concentration in the blood so that the worsening of symptoms can be noticed quickly, and setting up a window where nurses and doctors can consult by telephone 24 hours a day. However, some have pointed out that it is still not enough.