Mary Wilson
Well-known member
Aug 3, 2022
BY TOMOKO OTAKE
As another wave of coronavirus infections pummels Japan, the country has emerged as the world’s No.1 COVID-19 hot spot, at least in official statistics. Despite data suggesting that many patients now only develop mild symptoms, the nation’s health care system is nonetheless strained more than ever before.
As of Monday, Japan had logged a seven-day rolling average of 202,823 newly confirmed cases per day, according to Our World in Data, followed by 124,840 in the U.S. and 68,609 in Germany.
Unlike in previous waves, the government has vowed — at least for now— not to impose any restrictions on businesses or people. That is mainly because of the characteristics of currently dominant virus strain and the fact that there are now some tools — a vaccine and various medicines — available to fight it. Omicron subvariant BA.5, which accounts for most of the strains detected in Japan, is highly contagious but generally considered to cause less severe symptoms than earlier strains.
Nonetheless, the health care system is approaching a breaking point in some areas.
As of July 27, 15 prefectures had occupancy rates for hospital bed set aside for COVID patients above 50%, with the highest rate recorded at 71% in Kanagawa.
Even when beds for COVID-19 patients are open, the seventh wave is affecting the health system more generally due to staff shortages caused by workers recovering from the disease or needing to isolate, experts say. As of Monday, Fukuoka University Hospital had closed two wards, as 120 of the 1,900 medical staff were either infected or deemed close contacts, local media reported.
... Cases of medical workers getting the virus from patients are also on the rise due to the current wave, even with all the precautions
... During the week through July 31, the number of cases where ambulances had trouble quickly transporting patients to a hospital reached a record 6,307, up from 6,035 the week before and more than double the 2,470 logged in the same period last year at the height of the nation’s fifth wave driven by the delta variant. The number includes cases of ambulances contacting more than three different hospitals to find a recipient institution.
https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2022/08/03/national/japan-seventh-wave-medical-strain/
BY TOMOKO OTAKE
As another wave of coronavirus infections pummels Japan, the country has emerged as the world’s No.1 COVID-19 hot spot, at least in official statistics. Despite data suggesting that many patients now only develop mild symptoms, the nation’s health care system is nonetheless strained more than ever before.
As of Monday, Japan had logged a seven-day rolling average of 202,823 newly confirmed cases per day, according to Our World in Data, followed by 124,840 in the U.S. and 68,609 in Germany.
Unlike in previous waves, the government has vowed — at least for now— not to impose any restrictions on businesses or people. That is mainly because of the characteristics of currently dominant virus strain and the fact that there are now some tools — a vaccine and various medicines — available to fight it. Omicron subvariant BA.5, which accounts for most of the strains detected in Japan, is highly contagious but generally considered to cause less severe symptoms than earlier strains.
Nonetheless, the health care system is approaching a breaking point in some areas.
As of July 27, 15 prefectures had occupancy rates for hospital bed set aside for COVID patients above 50%, with the highest rate recorded at 71% in Kanagawa.
Even when beds for COVID-19 patients are open, the seventh wave is affecting the health system more generally due to staff shortages caused by workers recovering from the disease or needing to isolate, experts say. As of Monday, Fukuoka University Hospital had closed two wards, as 120 of the 1,900 medical staff were either infected or deemed close contacts, local media reported.
... Cases of medical workers getting the virus from patients are also on the rise due to the current wave, even with all the precautions
... During the week through July 31, the number of cases where ambulances had trouble quickly transporting patients to a hospital reached a record 6,307, up from 6,035 the week before and more than double the 2,470 logged in the same period last year at the height of the nation’s fifth wave driven by the delta variant. The number includes cases of ambulances contacting more than three different hospitals to find a recipient institution.
https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2022/08/03/national/japan-seventh-wave-medical-strain/