Japan¡¯s worst COVID-19 outbreak yet has thrown a spotlight on the inability of the country¡¯s otherwise highly regarded medical system to adapt quickly to emergencies, and its lack of reform to meet such needs.
As new cases surged to more than 25,000 a day this month, driven by the delta variant, the number of medical emergencies nationwide that required an ambulance dispatch but had difficulty finding a hospital to accept the patient rose for six straight weeks to a historic high, according to data from the Fire and Disaster Management Agency.
Defined as cases where emergency medics were turned down by more than 3 hospitals and at the scene for more than 30 minutes, the figure jumped to 3,361 in the week of August 9-15, said the agency, which oversees the ambulance system nationally.
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