TOKYO (Reuters) – Japan, alarmed by increasing coronavirus deaths and the specter of the collapse of the medical system, is rushing to broaden testing with drive-through centers and family doctors assisting to gather samples.
Medical workers stroll by tents established to check for the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) infection at Kawakita General Healthcare Facility in Tokyo, Japan, April 17,2020 REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon
For weeks Japan has limited its testing for the coronavirus, which emerged in surrounding China late last year, regardless of calls from many health experts who see testing as important to finding and isolating cases and slowing the spread.
Japan carried out about 52,000 polymerase domino effect (PCR) tests in March, or simply 16%of the number performed in South Korea, according to information from Oxford University.
Professionals say Japan’s technique of keeping the number of PCR tests low has actually made it difficult to trace the disease as it spread out in Tokyo and other huge cities and caused a wave of in-hospital infections, crippling some facilities.
The choice to expand screening came as Prime Minister Shinzo Abe this week expanded a state of emergency situation, initially issued for Tokyo and 6 other locations, to the whole nation, and alerted of the growing