About 1,390 emergency patients suspected of having the coronavirus were turned away from five or more hospitals or forced to wait more than 20 minutes before their fate was determined, according to the Tokyo Fire Department and the metropolitan government between 1 and 12. April 18. This represents a fourfold increase compared to overall cases, where only about 20 such cases occur each day. One patient turned down a staggering 110 facilities.
Dr. Harada Fumiue, who works at a clinic in Tokyo, visited a man in his 80s for a normal home checkup on the morning of April 10. The patient did not have a fever but was dehydrated and had no appetite. Harada to send him to a nearby hospital where the boy had already undergone surgery.
Harada says his patient’s temperature was 36. 2 degrees, so he didn’t suspect coronavirus in the first place, but a CT scan revealed shadows in both lungs.
The man was immediately placed in isolation and transferred to a hospital authorized to receive coronavirus patients. But Harada says he called and the patient was turned away.
Finally, shortly after 8 p.m., the man was accepted at a hospital more than 40 kilometers from his home. Ten hours had passed since Harada had first checked in on him.
Harada says it was a heartbreaking experience. And he believes this case is just the tip of the iceberg across the country.
In Japan there are about 11,000 hospital beds to accommodate coronavirus patients. The total number of hospitalized patients is at least 6,600.
NHK asked prefectural governments and entities how many beds were occupied as of April 20.
Six prefectures reported that more than 80% of their beds were occupied. Added to these are Tokyo, Osaka, Hyogo and Ishikawa, which the central government has designated as “special alert prefectures. ” The other two are Kyoto and Okinawa.
Prefectural government officials are worried about a shortage of surgical masks and other personal protective equipment, and a lack of medical staff to oversee coronavirus patients.
In Tokyo, to reduce hospital capacity for seriously ill patients, the metropolitan government has begun moving other people who have tested positive for the virus but have only mild or no symptoms to other hotels.
Government officials and nurses are available 24 hours a day at those hotels, with a doctor in charge for the day. The temperature and condition of the patients are closely monitored.
Government officials say the symptoms of more than 90% of hospitalized patients in the capital with the virus are severe.
Japanese Prime Minister Abe Shinzo spoke to reporters on Tuesday, two weeks after signaling a state of emergency in Tokyo and six other prefectures. The declaration was later extended to the entire country.
Abe said the country’s healthcare system was very strained. He urged people to take precautions and make an effort to reduce contact by 80% in order to ease the burden and protect lives.