Post by Nadica (She/Her) on Aug 1, 2024 3:00:50 GMT
Is it heatstroke or COVID? Central Japan emergency medical responders on high alert - Published July 31, 2024
NAGOYA -- Medical personnel in central Japan are on guard as the "11th wave" of coronavirus infections and the intense summer heat simultaneously hit the country, making it difficult to immediately distinguish between heatstroke and COVID-19 symptoms.
"Extremely hot days," when the mercury hits 35 degrees Celsius or above, have been recorded in various areas in central Japan's Aichi and Gifu prefectures since late July, and heatstroke alerts have been issued daily.
The Nagoya City Public Health Research Institute in Aichi Prefecture has requested 23 medical institutions in Nagoya to investigate specimens from patients infected with the coronavirus, and as of July 25, the mutated virus strain KP.3 had already accounted for some 80% of the cases. KP.3 is characterized by a greater ability to evade immunity and higher infectivity than conventional strains.
Shinichiro Shibata, head of the research institute's microbiology department, is baffled, saying, "The risk can be reduced by wearing masks and washing your hands. However, wearing a mask in this unusually hot weather can lead to heatstroke, so we have to leave it to the discretion of each individual."
Shibata apparently heard that some people suffering from suspected heatstroke came to medical institutions for treatment but eventually it turned out they had the coronavirus. Even if heatstroke is suspected, protective measures against the virus cannot be relaxed.
Every year, July sees the highest number of medical emergency transport cases in Japan. Nagoya's fire department strengthens its preparedness when it expects a large number of people could be transported due to heatstroke, such as on extremely hot days. On July 22 and 23 this year, the number of emergency teams was increased from the usual 49 to 53.
The fire department's medical emergency division chief Konosuke Ichihara explained, "It is impossible to tell whether a fever is caused by heatstroke or the coronavirus unless patients visit a medical institution. Medical emergency responders are treating all patients as potentially infected people." Because of previous experiences with tuberculosis outbreaks, they wear highly protective N95 masks. Since the coronavirus pandemic, their goggles have been changed to ones that entirely cover the eyes.
The average number of new COVID-19 cases reported from fixed-point medical institutions during the week of July 15 to 21 was 20.82 per facility in Aichi Prefecture and 17.45 in Gifu Prefecture, both doubling from two weeks earlier.
熱中症かコロナか、判断難しく 医療現場が猛暑で警戒強化
新型コロナウイルスの流行が第11波を迎えるなか、愛知・岐阜両県では7月下旬から各地で猛暑日を記録し、熱中症警戒アラートが連日発表されている。新型コロナと熱中症の症状はすぐには見分けがつきにくく、医療の現場は双方に警戒を強めている。
名古屋市衛生研究所は市内23医療機関に要請し、新型コロナ患者の検体を調査している。7月25日の時点で、既に変異株「KP・3」が約8割を占めているという。従来の株より免疫から逃れる能力が高く、感染力が高いのが特徴だ。
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柴田伸一郎微生物部長は「マスクの着用や手洗いでリスクは下がる。しかし、この異常な暑さの中でマスクを着用すると熱中症になる危険もあるため、各自の判断に委ねるしかない」と頭を抱える。
医療機関からは「熱中症で来院したが、結局コロナだった」という話を聞くという。熱中症疑いであっても、防護対策を緩めるわけにはいかない。
7月は年間で最も救急搬送が多いシーズンだ。市消防局では、猛暑日などで熱中症による搬送者が多いと予測される場合、態勢を強化する。22、23日も救急隊の数を通常の49隊から53隊に増やした。
救急課の市原康之介担当課長は「熱中症による熱かコロナによる発熱かは医療機関に行かないとわからない。救急対応者は全て感染者の可能性があるとして接している」と説明する。以前結核が流行した経験から、防御力の高いN95マスクを着用。コロナ禍以降、ゴーグルは目全体を覆うタイプにした。
定点医療機関から報告された15～21日の新型コロナ感染者数は、1医療機関あたり愛知県20・82人、岐阜県17・45人。いずれも前々週に比べ倍増している。【川瀬慎一朗、太田敦子】
NAGOYA -- Medical personnel in central Japan are on guard as the "11th wave" of coronavirus infections and the intense summer heat simultaneously hit the country, making it difficult to immediately distinguish between heatstroke and COVID-19 symptoms.
"Extremely hot days," when the mercury hits 35 degrees Celsius or above, have been recorded in various areas in central Japan's Aichi and Gifu prefectures since late July, and heatstroke alerts have been issued daily.
The Nagoya City Public Health Research Institute in Aichi Prefecture has requested 23 medical institutions in Nagoya to investigate specimens from patients infected with the coronavirus, and as of July 25, the mutated virus strain KP.3 had already accounted for some 80% of the cases. KP.3 is characterized by a greater ability to evade immunity and higher infectivity than conventional strains.
Shinichiro Shibata, head of the research institute's microbiology department, is baffled, saying, "The risk can be reduced by wearing masks and washing your hands. However, wearing a mask in this unusually hot weather can lead to heatstroke, so we have to leave it to the discretion of each individual."
Shibata apparently heard that some people suffering from suspected heatstroke came to medical institutions for treatment but eventually it turned out they had the coronavirus. Even if heatstroke is suspected, protective measures against the virus cannot be relaxed.
Every year, July sees the highest number of medical emergency transport cases in Japan. Nagoya's fire department strengthens its preparedness when it expects a large number of people could be transported due to heatstroke, such as on extremely hot days. On July 22 and 23 this year, the number of emergency teams was increased from the usual 49 to 53.
The fire department's medical emergency division chief Konosuke Ichihara explained, "It is impossible to tell whether a fever is caused by heatstroke or the coronavirus unless patients visit a medical institution. Medical emergency responders are treating all patients as potentially infected people." Because of previous experiences with tuberculosis outbreaks, they wear highly protective N95 masks. Since the coronavirus pandemic, their goggles have been changed to ones that entirely cover the eyes.
The average number of new COVID-19 cases reported from fixed-point medical institutions during the week of July 15 to 21 was 20.82 per facility in Aichi Prefecture and 17.45 in Gifu Prefecture, both doubling from two weeks earlier.
熱中症かコロナか、判断難しく 医療現場が猛暑で警戒強化
新型コロナウイルスの流行が第11波を迎えるなか、愛知・岐阜両県では7月下旬から各地で猛暑日を記録し、熱中症警戒アラートが連日発表されている。新型コロナと熱中症の症状はすぐには見分けがつきにくく、医療の現場は双方に警戒を強めている。
名古屋市衛生研究所は市内23医療機関に要請し、新型コロナ患者の検体を調査している。7月25日の時点で、既に変異株「KP・3」が約8割を占めているという。従来の株より免疫から逃れる能力が高く、感染力が高いのが特徴だ。
Advertisement
柴田伸一郎微生物部長は「マスクの着用や手洗いでリスクは下がる。しかし、この異常な暑さの中でマスクを着用すると熱中症になる危険もあるため、各自の判断に委ねるしかない」と頭を抱える。
医療機関からは「熱中症で来院したが、結局コロナだった」という話を聞くという。熱中症疑いであっても、防護対策を緩めるわけにはいかない。
7月は年間で最も救急搬送が多いシーズンだ。市消防局では、猛暑日などで熱中症による搬送者が多いと予測される場合、態勢を強化する。22、23日も救急隊の数を通常の49隊から53隊に増やした。
救急課の市原康之介担当課長は「熱中症による熱かコロナによる発熱かは医療機関に行かないとわからない。救急対応者は全て感染者の可能性があるとして接している」と説明する。以前結核が流行した経験から、防御力の高いN95マスクを着用。コロナ禍以降、ゴーグルは目全体を覆うタイプにした。
定点医療機関から報告された15～21日の新型コロナ感染者数は、1医療機関あたり愛知県20・82人、岐阜県17・45人。いずれも前々週に比べ倍増している。【川瀬慎一朗、太田敦子】