In Osaka, where the medical care provision system is in a critical situation, with the number of critically ill patients exceeding the number of beds prepared, the local clinics are also having a major impact.
At Kobata Clinic, an internal medicine clinic in Chuo-ku, Osaka, we set up a fever outpatient clinic in April last year to examine people who are suspected of being infected.
In the beginning of last month, the number of people visiting the outpatient department for fever has increased rapidly, reaching 419, which is nearly three times the number of the previous month.
Of these, 106 were tested positive, with a positive rate of over 25%.
Even during the Golden Week holidays, I return to the office for medical examinations, but there are days when I have to decline because of the constant phone calls for reservations.
In addition, as the number of patients who cannot be hospitalized even if their condition deteriorates during medical treatment at home has increased, new measures such as visiting the home for medical examinations and listening to the symptoms over the phone to deliver the medicine are urgently needed.
Since there is only one doctor at this clinic and there are many family patients such as the elderly, there is a sense of crisis that general medical care will not be possible if the new Corona's response increases further.
Akishige Kobata, director of Kobata Clinic, said, "In the fourth wave, people who need to be hospitalized cannot be hospitalized, and local doctors have to help those who are receiving medical treatment at home. As the infection spreads and it becomes possible to deal with more severely ill people, it will affect general medical care. Do not think that we are okay, but take actions to prevent infection. " I will.