The still-increasing numbers of new coronavirus cases and hospitalized patients in Japan is heightening unpredictability in a medical services system becoming exhausted as the outbreak drags on.
According to the Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry and other sources, the number of people infected with the virus per 100,000 in Tokyo in the past week (July 15-21) was 11.7, much higher than 5.0 on April 5, just before the government declared a state of emergency.
According to the Tokyo metropolitan government, as of Thursday, the number of hospitalized patients had increased to 964, nearly five times that on June 20, when it was 204. The number of people in serious condition was also gradually increasing to 21 on Thursday, up from five on July 12.
The metropolitan government has plans to secure 2,800 beds and has so far secured 2,400, including 100 for critically ill patients. However, even if the beds are secured, facilities cannot accept patients without ample medical manpower to provide care as well as disinfect facilities at the time of a patient's hospitalization and discharge.
"The prolonged period [of the outbreak] has exhausted medical institutions," said Masataka Inokuchi, vice president of the Tokyo Medical Association. "If [this situation] continues, we won't be able to save the lives we could save under a normal situation."
An official of the metropolitan government said the increase in the number of tests, which grew fivefold to about 5,000 per day from the early April, is partly contributing to the increase in reported infection cases. However, the proportion of people who tested positive in the past week rose to 6.7% as of July 21, from below 1% around May 20. Some analyses in Europe and the United States found that the number of deaths blamed on the virus has increased rapidly after surpassing 7%.
"The medical services system in Tokyo is unpredictable, as seriously ill patients in their 40s and 50s are also increasing," a senior metropolitan government official said.
The number of inpatients nationwide has doubled in the past 10 days. As of July 22, the number was 5,002, according to the ministry. The number of people in serious condition also reached 59.
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