The impact on the provision of medical care in a series of clusters at core hospitals Hakodate, Hokkaido

In Hakodate City, Hokkaido, due to the spread of Omicron strain infection, clusters are occurring one after another at the core hospitals responsible for regional medical care.

Hospitals are taking measures such as stopping the acceptance of inpatients, but the infection to staff is spreading and there are concerns about the impact on the medical care provision system.

In Hakodate City, clusters are occurring one after another at five core hospitals that are responsible for regional secondary emergency medical care such as hospitalization and surgery.

Of these, a cluster occurred on January 30 at the National Hospital Organization Hakodate Hospital, and a total of 114 people, including 37 staff and 77 patients, were confirmed to be infected, and the Hakodate Medical Association Hospital clustered on the 2nd of this month. Has occurred, and a total of 97 people, including 26 staff and 71 patients, have been confirmed to be infected.

In addition, a cluster occurred on the 3rd of this month at Municipal Hakodate Hospital, and infections of 22 people including 14 staff members and 8 patients were confirmed. At Hakodate Goryokaku Hospital, a cluster occurred on the 7th of this month, and staff members. A total of 29 cases have been confirmed, including 8 and 21 patients.

In addition, at Kamedabyo Hospital, where the cluster occurred on the 9th of this month, a total of 48 people, including 8 staff members and 40 patients, have been confirmed to be infected.

Hospitals are suspending the acceptance of new inpatients or postponing the acceptance of outpatient referrals.

Of these, except for Kamedabyo Hospital, we have been designated as a secondary emergency medical institution in 10 locations in the city, and we are in charge of accepting emergency patients in rotation.

However, because the infection is spreading among the staff, if there are many people who cannot go to work, they will be replaced by another hospital or dispatched by the staff.

Satoshi Homma, chairman of the Hakodate Medical Association, said, "Currently, local medical institutions are collaborating to continue medical treatment, but the situation is that only one skin of the neck is connected. It will have a big impact. "

At Municipal Hakodate Hospital

At Municipal Hakodate Hospital, there are a series of staff members who cannot go to work in the ward where the cluster has occurred, and in order to prevent further spread of infection, we are taking thorough measures such as conducting daily PCR tests on the staff members of the ward.

According to the hospital, a cluster has occurred in one of the 12 wards, and the acceptance of new inpatients and outpatients is postponed in this ward.

In addition, there are a series of staff members who cannot go to work due to confirmed infection or close contact, and the daily work shifts such as nurses in the ward are changed from 3 shifts to 2 shifts to deal with inpatients. ..

In addition, in order to prevent further spread of infection, hospitals are taking thorough measures such as conducting PCR tests on doctors and nurses in wards where clusters are occurring every day before starting work.

The hospital treats severe and moderately ill patients infected with the new corona, but says it does not affect patient acceptance.

Kiyofumi Morishita, director of Hakodate Municipal Hospital, said, "We are in a situation where the number of staff members who have never experienced it cannot come out to the hospital. I want to think about how to prevent it. "

At Hakodate Goryokaku Hospital

At Hakodate Goryokaku Hospital, the difficulty of infection control is highlighted, such as the spread of infection from asymptomatic nurses and the occurrence of clusters.

According to the hospital, the first confirmed nurse was asymptomatic, and subsequent examinations of staff and patients confirmed eight infections, including this nurse.

A total of 29 people were confirmed to be infected in 3 of the 12 wards, and these wards were zoned as areas with a high risk of infection, and protective clothing was worn when entering the wards to strengthen infection control measures. I am.

Tomoaki Nakata, director of Hakodate Goryokaku Hospital, said, "If you have symptoms such as sore throat or fever, you can suspect an infection, but the Omicron strain is highly infectious and spreads even if you do not have any subjective symptoms. The number of staff who cannot do this is increasing, making it very difficult to operate the hospital. "