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applegrove

(118,022 posts)
Sat Apr 18, 2020, 12:40 AM Apr 2020

New Surge Threatens to Collapse Japan's Hospitals

New Surge Threatens to Collapse Japan’s Hospitals

April 17, 2020 at 11:19 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard 110 Comments

https://politicalwire.com/2020/04/17/new-wave-threatens-to-collapse-japans-hospitals/

"SNIP....

“Hospitals in Japan are increasingly turning away sick people as the country struggles with surging coronavirus infections and its emergency medical system collapses,” the AP reports.

“Japan initially seemed to have controlled the outbreak by going after clusters of infections in specific places, usually enclosed spaces such as clubs, gyms and meeting venues. But the spread of virus outpaced this approach and most new cases are untraceable.”

....SNIP"

11 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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New Surge Threatens to Collapse Japan's Hospitals (Original Post) applegrove Apr 2020 OP
To all the "OPEN IT UP!!!! WHAT COULD GO WRONG?!?!?!?!?!?!" types: Listen carefully.... RockRaven Apr 2020 #1
Heartbreaking and scary how fast it came back. Family had jobs to go to in Japan two applegrove Apr 2020 #2
death cults only listen to their cult leaders Celerity Apr 2020 #3
If Trump instructed the MAGAs to inject their Kool-Aid (hydroxychloroquine)... Initech Apr 2020 #5
in the eye Celerity Apr 2020 #6
Double derp!!! Initech Apr 2020 #4
I think I read elsewhere that Japan is testing at a much greater rate than us? tanyev Apr 2020 #7
We Have One Advantage ProfessorGAC Apr 2020 #8
Good points, thank you. tanyev Apr 2020 #10
Certainly With You ProfessorGAC Apr 2020 #11
BBC article from this morning- MerryBlooms Apr 2020 #9

Initech

(99,915 posts)
5. If Trump instructed the MAGAs to inject their Kool-Aid (hydroxychloroquine)...
Sat Apr 18, 2020, 12:53 AM
Apr 2020

They'd say "which vein???".

tanyev

(42,360 posts)
7. I think I read elsewhere that Japan is testing at a much greater rate than us?
Sat Apr 18, 2020, 09:28 AM
Apr 2020

So we're totally screwed.

ProfessorGAC

(64,425 posts)
8. We Have One Advantage
Sat Apr 18, 2020, 09:41 AM
Apr 2020

They've got 180 million people in an area about the size of California. The population density is staggering.
Also, because land is so precious, most of their middle class is apartment or condo living.
Then, they're VERY dependent on mass transit.
So as a general population it's extremely difficult to keep people out of crowds. Even for truly essential workers the use of mass transit is problematic.
I think targeting hotspots will turn out to be a mistake in flattening. They likely needed to do a very short, nearly total shutdown, with phased restart.
But, everything is hindsight.
We have a much more spread out society, excepting places like NY where the living density is so high.
Chicagoland is something over 9 million people, but it extends from the Wisconsin line to 75 miles south, from Northwest Indiana to 60 miles west. Metro area, but way more spread out than NY.
As bad as it's been in IL, our numbers are still lower per million than NY, by a significant amount. We're a bit over 1,000 for 12.5 million. NY is 8,600 for 20 or so million.
For many of us, the mere fact that we don't live in packed in conditions helps.
Still requires smart caution.
But, Japan's situation doesn't portend US outcomes.
Unless of course, we do something stupid.
Like the country did in November 2016.

tanyev

(42,360 posts)
10. Good points, thank you.
Sat Apr 18, 2020, 09:54 AM
Apr 2020

It's just so agonizing to think about how much better the country could be doing with competent federal leadership that got to work on the problem right away--stocking up on all needed supplies, developing tests and testing strategies, and giving medical personnel and scientists all the support they needed.

ProfessorGAC

(64,425 posts)
11. Certainly With You
Sat Apr 18, 2020, 09:58 AM
Apr 2020

You know, simply not using coronavirus & hoax in the same sentence might have helped.

MerryBlooms

(11,728 posts)
9. BBC article from this morning-
Sat Apr 18, 2020, 09:46 AM
Apr 2020
Doctors have complained of a lack of protective equipment, which suggests Japan has not prepared well for the virus. This is despite the fact it was the second country outside China to record an infection, way back in January.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has been criticised for not introducing restrictions to deal with the outbreak sooner for fear they could harm the economy.

His government has argued with the governor of Tokyo, who wanted tougher measures introduced more quickly.

Only on Thursday did Mr Abe extend a state of emergency to the whole country.


https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-52336388

Doesn't sound good.
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