In preparation for the re-expansion of the new coronavirus infection, the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare is urging prefectures to increase the acceptance of hospitalized patients by another 20% from the peak of this summer.
In the so-called fifth wave of this summer, when the Delta strain was prevalent, the number of infected people nationwide far exceeded the initial expectations, and the total number of home care recipients temporarily exceeded 130,000.
On the 15th, the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare revealed that it is requesting prefectures to review the plan to secure beds, assuming that the infectivity of the new coronavirus will double the peak of the 5th wave in the future. bottom.
Regarding the acceptance of inpatients, we predict that the proportion of patients who become severely ill due to the progress of vaccination and utilization of therapeutic drugs will decrease, and we request that the number be increased by 20% from the peak of the 5th wave. ..
For that purpose, in addition to the development of temporary medical facilities, we investigated the actual condition of so-called "ghost beds" that were declared as beds for patients with the new coronavirus but were not used in the 5th wave, and investigated the utilization rate of the beds. We are requesting that it be at least 80%.
In addition, the national government will exercise its authority to secure a dedicated bed for public hospitals.
The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare is requesting prefectures to finalize the plan by the end of next month, and if an infection spreads beyond expectations, general medical care will be restricted and beds will be urgently secured.