新型コロナ「感染者２倍」想定し準備要請　一般医療の制限も視野―厚労省

　厚生労働省は２４日、今後の新型コロナウイルス感染者の大幅な増加に備えた医療提供体制を整備するよう、都道府県などに通知した。厳しいケースとして、１日当たりの新規感染者数が今冬の２倍程度に増えた場合などを想定。一般医療の制限も含む緊急的な対応方針をつくり、４月中に報告するよう要請した。また、既に各都道府県が策定している病床確保計画を５月中に見直すことも求めた。
　今冬のコロナ感染拡大では、各地で医療提供体制が逼迫（ひっぱく）。各都道府県は昨夏に計画をまとめたが、想定通りに病床を利用できないケースも相次いだ。今後「第４波」が懸念されることを踏まえ、厚労省は改めて各地域に対し、病床や宿泊療養施設の確保などの検討を求めることにした。（2021/03/24-18:57）

Japan's health ministry on Wednesday issued a notification urging prefectural governments to beef up their prefectures' medical capacities on the assumption that the daily number of new COVID-19 cases could jump twofold from this winter's levels.
   The move by the ministry came amid fears of a possible "fourth wave" of coronavirus infections in the country.
   The ministry demanded that prefectural governments draw up and report next month emergency measures including restrictions on general medical services, and that they review their existing plans for securing hospital beds for COVID-19 patients in May.
   Since the existing plans were compiled last summer, there have been many cases in which prepared hospital beds were not immediately available.
   Meanwhile, emergency measures are expected to include securing hospital beds by postponing surgeries and the hospitalization of patients other than those suffering the coronavirus disease.