As of the 17th of this month, there were more than 1.42 million patients nationwide who were infected with the new corona and were recuperating at home.
There is also the risk of being unable to call an ambulance on your own and delaying response.
The number of patients infected with the new coronavirus and recuperating at home has rapidly increased in the seventh wave, reaching 1,423,431 nationwide as of the 17th of this month.
Under these circumstances, a man in his late 60s who lives alone in Nishinari Ward, Osaka, was confirmed to be infected with corona on the 31st of last month and was recuperating at home. A visiting nurse found him and measured the oxygen level in his blood, which dropped to about 75%.
Twelve days after he was hospitalized, he was discharged, but when a nurse visited on the 15th of this month, the man complained of shortness of breath and his oxygen level was low, so he was transported by ambulance again.
According to the visiting nursing station in charge, the man continued to have symptoms of pneumonia and was hospitalized again.
The man had pre-existing medical conditions such as diabetes and mild cognitive impairment, and in neither case did he call an ambulance himself.
This station has been receiving more requests for home-visit nursing for patients like this man who lives alone since the start of the "seventh wave."
Ryo Sakamoto, head of the home-visit nursing station "Bizina," said, "It's difficult for elderly people who live alone to realize that they're unwell, and it's difficult for them to notice that there's something wrong with them because there's no one around to look after them." Some people are sure to die, so it is necessary to cooperate and support and watch over the staff who are in charge of visiting nursing and nursing care and the people in the community."
Deaths during home treatment Continue even in the ``5th wave''
In the past, there have been many cases of sudden deterioration in physical condition during home treatment and, in the worst case, death.
According to the Tokyo metropolitan government, the number of people who were treated at home during the "fifth wave" last summer, when the infection spread rapidly, was 26,409 on the day when the number was the highest, just like this "seventh wave." .
In the same August, 44 people died at home due to sudden changes in their condition, and at least 10 of them are believed to have lived alone.
Most of the people who died were not vaccinated or had chronic diseases, and more than half of them were young people in their 30s to 50s.
Many of them died without any evidence of calling an ambulance.
According to the Tokyo metropolitan government, in this "7th wave", the number of people who were recuperating at home in Tokyo died 13 last month and 28 this month until the 23rd, for a total of 41 people. That's what it means.
Using SNS to support home care patients living alone
Even at home-visit nursing stations in Tokyo, there have been cases of sudden changes in the physical condition of home care patients living alone since the 7th wave began, and they are busy responding.
At the station, individual consultations such as changes in physical condition are also accepted using SNS, and on the morning of the 14th of this month, a woman in her 40s in Shinjuku Ward said, "I have a fever" and "I can't move because of the chills." I was contacted by LINE under the teacher.
The nurse recommended taking an antipyretic and visiting a fever outpatient clinic, but the woman gradually complained of coughing and nausea as well as shortness of breath, so she called an ambulance and was hospitalized.
The woman had underlying diseases such as diabetes, and when she was admitted to the hospital her oxygen saturation had dropped sharply. I hesitated because I thought it was bad, but my condition was rapidly deteriorating, so I was grateful that the visiting nurses remotely supported me."
Some municipalities strongly recommend admission to lodging facilities
Under these circumstances, Ibaraki Prefecture strongly recommends that infected people over the age of 65 and those living alone who are at high risk of becoming seriously ill be admitted to a hotel or other accommodation facility rented by the prefecture, even if their symptoms are not severe. That's it.
In Ibaraki Prefecture, a man in his 60s who lived alone and was recuperating at home died in February, and this case prompted him to strengthen his efforts.
Dr. Jun Sasaki, director of the medical corporation "Yushokai" in Minato-ku, Tokyo, which conducts home-visit medical treatment, said that in the "seventh wave", people with chronic diseases, mainly the elderly, will be infected with corona. It is pointed out that cases where symptoms worsen due to infection are conspicuous.
Also, even among the younger generation, there are many people who do not usually go to the hospital and are unaware of their chronic diseases, so it is necessary to be careful.
Dr. Sasaki said, "It's scary when you're recuperating alone when your condition suddenly changes and you can't call for help before you can respond. If you don't have the confidence to call an SOS when you're in trouble, the government will risk aggravation. It is necessary to prepare an environment so that people can use lodging facilities in descending order of price."
On top of that, as a point to note when recuperating at home alone, ``If symptoms persist for a long time, such as a high fever that does not go away for 3 to 4 days, or if you have difficulty breathing, or if new symptoms appear, it may be a sign of aggravation. I would like you to call an ambulance without hesitation when it deteriorates rapidly."