Regarding a welfare facility for persons with disabilities in, Chiba Prefecture, where a mass infection occurred with approximately 120 new coronavirus cases found, the Prefectural government confirmed on the May 14 that recent COVID-19 tests, including those who were receiving treatment within the facility, came back negative.
The spread of the new coronavirus affects people with disabilities who are more likely to feel anxiety about unexpected daily changes. The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare has called for the continued operation of facilities for the disabled as “necessary to maintain their lives,” but the facility has great conflicts regarding the prevention of infection. 99 out of the 2,600 outpatient facilities in Hyogo prefecture are closed, and users are facing a disruption in their rhythm of life and a large decrease in their income.
Hokkaido announced on the 29th that 38 people were confirmed to be infected with COVID-19 in Hokkaido bringing the total number of infected people to 726. The infection has spread to facilities for the disabled and the elderly, with three new people being confirmed at the facility for the disabled, “Kouyoen”
According to Toyama city, one of the people infeced is a male teenager who uses a facility for the disabled. The other is a female nurse in her 20s working at Toyama Municipal Hospital where a cluster of COVID-19 cases has been found.
Written with extracts translated from NHK & NHK World April 28 2020 A study by the Ministry of Health, LaborContinue Reading
At a welfare facility for persons with disabilities in Shibuya, Tokyo, where an outbreak of the new coronavirus occurred, two new people were found to have been infected, bringing the total number of infected people at this facility to twelve people.
In response to the outbreak of the new coronavirus at a welfare facility for people with disabilities in Chiba Prefecture, the director of affiliated facilities told the families of people with disabilities about the current status of the facility.
To prevent the coronavirus spreading further, the facility’s interior is now split into “zones” based on the risk of infection. The residential area, which is prone to virus transmission, is labelled the “red zone,” and entry is prohibited to all but the on-site medical team and facility staff wearing protective gear.
Toyama City announced on the 18th that one resident of a health care facility in the city died on the 17th, after testing positive for the new coronavirus test. This is the first time that a death due to the new coronavirus in the prefecture has been reported. The number of infected people increased by 13 to a total of 82.
Matsuzaki Akiyo, the facility’s manager, says she prefers disposable masks because cloth masks are said to be less effective in preventing infections.
Barrier Free Japan