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Hospital grapples with coronavirus aftermath

32 Comments
By Mari Saito and Ami Miyazaki

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© Thomson Reuters 2020.

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Masui says he felt responsible for the outbreak.

"I pushed the hospital to take in suspected coronavirus patients, knowing other hospitals were turning them away," he said during a rare break between his rounds. "I was the one convincing the head of the hospital to take these patients in."

I had to actually re-read that.

So, the "director of Yokohama City Seibu Hospital's critical care center" who is the "emergency doctor who has been charged with the hospital's coronavirus response" is literally implying that they should have turned away the suspected coronavirus patients instead. And with that, he would not have felt "responsible" for bringing the virus into the hospital.

Perhaps he should take note from the lowly 29 year old ER doctor Sano, who said at the end: "...we have a duty to provide the necessary medical care to our community."

21 ( +24 / -3 )

Well said Paul! and shame on the neighbors of these nurses who shunned the nurses because they were caring for patients for coronavirus. How heartless. I don’t care how bad of a pandemic it is, because isn’t that the duty of nurses and doctors, to care for the sick?

And when I heard about hospitals and ports were turning away people with coronavirus, I thought to myself, “so what, they expect these people just to go away and die?” That’s heartless as well! So I share your support for this hospital for taking care of the patients that other hospitals would not. Seriously, kudos to them.

20 ( +21 / -1 )

Although it was unfortunate that the outbreak wasn't dealt with effectively (which is understandable, under the circumstances), it's commendable that the hospital helped the Covid 19 patients.

15 ( +20 / -5 )

Masui says he felt responsible for the outbreak.

The outbreak was everywhere and the Ministry of Health in Japan was not prepared and consequently gave zero advice to doctors here.

Taiwan knew better than to allow mainland Chinese entry and had few cases.

The authorities in Japan failed their doctors...

15 ( +17 / -2 )

...shame on the neighbors of these nurses who shunned the nurses because they were caring for patients for coronavirus. How heartless. I don’t care how bad of a pandemic it is, because isn’t that the duty of nurses and doctors, to care for the sick?

Japan has a history of this. The Burakumin. The Hibakusha. Fukushima victims. No surprises at this reaction. What might happen if those neighbours were show up at hospital with COVID-19 and the nurses they shunned were to shun them? Wouldn't they find it a moral outrage?

...when I heard about hospitals and ports were turning away people with coronavirus, I thought to myself, “so what, they expect these people just to go away and die?”

Right. If they're going to deny treatment at least give the patients the option of a quick end to their misery. It would also save the ambulance drivers time driving from hospital to hospital and being refused. It's inhumane. People offer more consideration to their pets than this.

11 ( +12 / -1 )

Doctors and nurses at Seibu were among the first to mobilize for the pandemic in Japan, accepting sick passengers from the Diamond Princess cruise ship in February.

Heroes

fter treating dozens of coronavirus patients, a man with no fever and no other obvious symptoms was carried into the emergency room in early April. The man was kept in a room with another patient before he was discharged to another facility. By the time the staff learned in late April the man had the virus, it had already spread to other wings of the hospital.

> Masui says he felt responsible for the outbreak.

> "I pushed the hospital to take in suspected coronavirus patients, knowing other hospitals were turning them away," he said during a rare break between his rounds. "I was the one convincing the head of the hospital to take these patients in."

You're not responsible for the outbreak. The idiot politicians who did nothing constructive around the Diamond Princess, failed to halt chinese coming in during the early stages of the outbreak, and refused to entertain cancelling the olympics and deliberately kept testing to a minimum to keep the olympics are.

Kentaro Sato, a 29-year old doctor in the emergency room, spent two weeks at home after he rushed to resuscitate a child who suddenly went into cardiac arrest.

> "I knew I had to put on a gown beforehand but I thought, this is a kid, and I have to do something to help," said Sato, who learned later the patient had a fever and was suspected of having COVID-19. Before the test came back negative, Sato spent days fretting he may have spread the virus to colleagues and other patients.

Mr Sato, you are a HERO. I can't reiterate the amount of respect I feel towards you. Deep bow

After news of the outbreak spread, the hospital received a torrent of angry calls from nearby businesses. Some nurses were shunned by neighbors when they heard they were caring for coronavirus patients.

So much for Japanese WA. What a bunch of BS. People out there risking their lives to save others and their neighbors are avoiding or harrassing them. In the US and Canada the health care workers are at least treated with respect

10 ( +11 / -1 )

It sounds as though the Seibu hospital dealt with the majority of Covid patients, while Tokyo, with over a hundred hospitals, still turned people away. Sounds like there really was no coordinated Covid-19 response. You would think that the government or health authority would have designated specific hospitals to deal with the pandemic in an equally distributed area around Japan and the Kanto area specifically. I imagine they left everything up to the doctors. Even in America, with its ill-fated health care system and with hospitals overflowing, they still manage somehow to find sick people a bed and ventilator. There is something seriously wrong with Japan's Pandemic response plan.

9 ( +10 / -1 )

Aftermath? It's not over yet, no matter how much the bueacatic system with coloured slide shows want it to be. As the doctor said "how am I going to remember this" it's a problem that needs sorting, not layers of complicated, usless bueuracrat involvment. But it's the Japanese way Shogani.

8 ( +15 / -7 )

I was going to mention the selfishness of the locals in the article, JCosplay, but unfortunately, such behaviour has manifested itself globally. However, I think the secrecy about treatment and testing centres is linked to a desire to avoid such public reactions, which is MORE concerning for me, and seems to me as being more of a Japan-centric way of behaving.

8 ( +9 / -1 )

Err, Japan was never "closed" to begin with.

8 ( +9 / -1 )

As many of you with even only a couple years in Japan knows that THOUSANDS of women every year end up in ambulances & taxi going from hospital to hospital JUST to give birth, so hardly surprising whats happening to covid patients....very sad,  another 10,000 cheers for Seibu Hospital!

As for the people complaining about nurses & calling the hospital to complain, I hope they get THEIRS at some point in time!! This dark, EVIL side of Japan is really dis-heartening, sadly we see all the time from history past to PRESENT, shame on all them, nasty vile human beings!

7 ( +8 / -1 )

Further buildups of overall healthcare capacity and readiness are necessary. Over-regulations and red-tapes may have failed to save lives which could have been saved (not necessarily caused by the Covid 19).

Fortunately, beds and equipment for severe patients are sufficient; as of 30/6, the bed occupancy rate is only 3%.

https://www.stopcovid19.jp/

The number of serious patients have also been down despite the recent rise in cases.

Survey of Critically ill COVID-19 patients in Japan

https://crisis.ecmonet.jp/

6 ( +7 / -1 )

"We can't stay afloat like this," Sano says, adding that the hospital had lost more than half of its revenue for outpatient services in May.

Proving that hospitals are a business and treat patients as so. I had an outpatient surgery done in one day overseas before being sent home to rest and back for checkups and rehab.

I had the same surgery in Japan and the hospital insisted I stay in for AT LEAST 6 weeks! Hospitals bill the insurance system, here, with no questions asked. After MUCH arguing, I was able to get out in 2 weeks. This is day surgery in most countries!

Do the math, many hospitals the world over are treating many COVID-19 patients as money! This distorts the truth. Of course, the vulnerable and at-risk need extra care and protection LIKE ANY OTHER VIRUS!

Downvote all you like, the economic and other problems will catch up with you regardless...

6 ( +8 / -2 )

Where are the politicians who we the tax payers pay to get a handle on the rising numbers????

Obviously, in the hostess bars?

5 ( +7 / -2 )

Japans approach to this virus from the onset and still continuing till today is to save beds, not to overwhelm the medical system and to do so required limiting testing and turning down people seeking care. It makes no sense boasting of having capacity and turning down request to use the capacity.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

Virus clusters in hospitals are the result of Japan's policy of minimal testing. Testing should be comprehensive and should be available everywhere but NOT IN HOSPITALS. The real scandal is that Japan doesn't safe guard its doctors, nurses and staff in hospitals.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

 I do not know why these hostess clubs are legal anyway and or why they deem them to be fit to remain open during this pandemic????

I despise going to them.B

But I've never understood the acidic views here on hostess clubs when they are such a minority in this 'pandemic' and THOUSANDS UPON THOUSANDS of other businesses and trains that operate every day are deemed "OK" by those same people who look down on hostesses.

It just comes across as people who have a deep-seated hatred of women...

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Anyone needing to self isolate in Japan must be given enough money to survive without work OTHERWISE they will not do it...

2 ( +4 / -2 )

Genuine question: Does the concept of the "Hippocratic Oath" apply in Japanese medicine?

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Richard GallagherToday  11:49 am JST

Bell. End.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Japanese Abe Govt who distracts eyes from fact that Covid-19 mortality of Japan is second worst in Asia, They already prioritizes to reopen economy than strengthening medical resource involving insufficient PCR test.

Japanese Govt seems to be optimistic against Corona virus second wave as same as this January or February.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

My wife works in a hospital and had the antibody test yesterday.

I’m interested to know the result as we both had coughs but no fever in April

1 ( +1 / -0 )

By the time the hospital contained the spread, 13 elderly patients had died.

Correct me if I am wrong. Was never in the news.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

"Anyone needing to self isolate in Japan must be given enough money to survive without work OTHERWISE they will not do it..."

Precisely, on this I can agree. The culture of turning away those unwanted - ie women about to give birth etc - is again rearing its ugly head.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

There are at least 15 medical staff near that patient, Why? The chance of transmitting any bacteria or virus in that environment is extremely high. Why is there so many non essential medical staff in that group.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

This has to be the first healthcare story I’ve seen anywhere since this began. There has been barely a mention of the workers, their opinions, and duty. The culture of service to your country is really disrespected here - I feel. It’s more “do your job because I’m sick and you help me”.

a commenter above asked, “ does the Hippocratic oath apply here?” Id love to know.

Finally, please stay away from people. It’s not over.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Japan has a history of this. The Burakumin. The Hibakusha. Fukushima victims. No surprises at this reaction.

From a scientific viewpoint, shunning people who have been exposed to an actual virus is tragic but not irrational.

Shunning burakumin, etc., on the other hand, IS irrational.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Ummm... aftermath? Doesn't Tokyo have more than 100 cases so far today alone?

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Comparing US healthcare to the Japanese system as lacking is surreal. Anecdotal musings about hospitals turning away pregnant women, as if relevant, reflects the often woolly understanding of expats, a typically whiny subculture that exhibits a pretense to comprehend a culture that is indeed wholly foreign. Oft self-righteous, cheap moralizing lurks beneath superficial criticism, if not a certain superiority. That hospitals are a for profit enterprise is more than evident and claiming to receive quality care overseas (wherever that may be) as opposed to Japan is less than enlightening. Do the math. That's quaint. Determining that the way to solve patient misery and ambulance driver's the inconvenience of going from hospital to hospital is to 'end their misery' is amazingly daft. That the individuals causing the spike are 20 and 30 year olds and connected to hostess clubs is quite the scientific explanation. We the taxpayers - that's rich. Understand this: certain hospitals are not equipped to deal with those infected with the virus - in house spread is the concern and very, very real. There is not a slew of ambulances circling the city in a vain search for a hospital to admit a particular patient in their care. What percentage of covid infected individuals require transport via ambulance? No one seems to mention that measure. But here is an actual fact: in March, there were 900 cases which required on average, an extra 20 minutes, in locating a hospital that would accept the covid-19 infected patient. To solve the problem (this was undertaken in April) certain hospitals with outpatient facilities were designated to accept patients, a viral test performed immediately and then sent to a specific hospital. Oh, the Olympics: Abe and the Tokyo & Japanese governments do not decide whether the 2020, now 2021 Olympics will 'take place', the IOC makes that decision. Abe may be a snake, but he doesn't have the wherewithal to cobble together a conspiracy to suppress numbers or create an illusion that would not be apparent to the IOC. Here is what a top IOC official said: No vaccine, no Olympics. The only two countries that dealt with the contagion in a measured and successful manner are Vietnam and Cuba. Ponder that.

-7 ( +0 / -7 )

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