In Hokkaido, where a state of emergency was declared on the 16th, more than 300 new infected people were reported every day, and at hospitals in Sapporo, younger generations were hospitalized one after another, and beds became tight. It turns out that we are facing an unprecedented crisis.
At the KKR Sapporo Medical Center in Sapporo, which NHK interviewed from the beginning of this month, young people in their 20s and 50s have been hospitalized one after another, which is different from the spread of infection so far, where the majority of the elderly were hospitalized. It's a situation.
Some of these patients have become severely ill and require treatment in the ICU = intensive care unit equipped with a ventilator, and not only general beds but also ICU beds are becoming tight. I will.
In addition, some patients have fever and other symptoms that last for 3 weeks, and hospitalization tends to be prolonged. It is said that it is one of.
Regarding this background, the center thinks that there is a mutant virus whose infection is spreading in Hokkaido, and if the infection continues to spread as it is, it raises a sense of crisis that "the bed will be so tight that the life that can be saved can not be saved". I have.
Dr. Satoshi Fukuya, who is in charge of corona countermeasures at "KKR Sapporo Medical Center," said, "We are preparing a daily system to accept patients with sudden illness and serious illness as smoothly as possible. There are cases where we cannot meet the demands. There is a word that medical care has collapsed, but the situation where medical care in Sapporo City will not be available may be imminent. " ..
The number of newly infected people is frequently updated to the highest ever. Mutant strains in the background
In Hokkaido, new infections per day have been reported in the form of frequent updates, which is the highest number ever, and it has been pointed out that the background is the spread of the mutant virus.
Hokkaido has experienced three "waves" of the spread of infection so far, and the number of new infected people per day was 304, which was the peak of the "third wave" last year. ..
However, if more than 326 people were confirmed to be infected on the 2nd of this month, the number would be 403 on the 8th of this month and 506 on the 9th of the following day, far exceeding the "third wave". Become.
And on the 13th of this month after the Golden Week holidays, 712 people were confirmed to be infected, and more than 500 people were reported after that.
Among them, the spread of infection is particularly remarkable in Sapporo City, and when the number of people exceeds 327 and 300 for the first time on the 9th of this month, the infection of 499 people was revealed on the 13th of this month, accounting for more than 60% of the total in Hokkaido. The days it occupy are one after another.
Experts point out that the spread of the mutant virus is one of the reasons why the number of infected people has increased significantly compared to the "third wave".
In Hokkaido, the infection of the mutant virus that was first confirmed in the United Kingdom is spreading, and depending on the road, 85% of the patients newly confirmed in Hokkaido during the week from the 6th to the 12th of this month, this A mutant virus has been detected.
Tomoya Saito, director of the National Institute of Infectious Diseases and Crisis Management Research Center for Infectious Diseases, said, "The number of infected people increases rapidly because mutant viruses have high infectivity. Stronger measures than before are required. "
Bed usage rate Almost full at 97% in Sapporo
The medical care provision system in Hokkaido is already tight, and especially in Sapporo City, the bed usage rate is 97%, which is almost full.
First of all, looking at the entire road, as of the 16th, the number of beds used is 957, and the road has announced a policy of preparing a maximum of 1809 beds, so the usage rate based on this is , 52.9%.
However, there are 436 infected people who are receiving medical treatment at hotels and other facilities, 2419 people who are adjusting the schedule to enter these facilities and receive medical treatment, and those who are receiving medical treatment at home etc. With 1501 people, it is difficult to keep up with the increase in the number of infected people, such as beds.
Especially serious is Sapporo City, as of the 16th, there were 26 seriously ill patients and the total number of inpatients was 398, and the usage rate was already almost 97% compared to 410 beds that can be used immediately. It is full.
For this reason, Sapporo City transports some patients to medical institutions outside the city, and according to the city, the number was 1 in March, 17 in April, and 11 this month. As of the day, it has increased to 18 cases.
In addition, Sapporo City plans to start operation of the "hospital waiting station", a waiting facility for temporarily treating infected people who cannot be hospitalized immediately while requiring treatment in hospital, from the 17th.