ABSTRACT
The novel coronavirus infection that began at the end of 2019 (coronavirus disease 2019: COVID-19) epidemic has become a pandemic and is now pandemic in the world. At present, the most recent data available, the cumulative number of patients and deaths worldwide is over 20.9 million and 750,000, respectively. The cumulative number of patients in Japan is 52,600, with more than 1,000 deaths. After the so-called first wave in April-May of this year, the number of patients is now on the rise again across the country. At the beginning of the epidemic, it was a completely unknown infectious disease, but physicians in the field are gradually gaining experience and knowledge. Report of a Roundtable Discussion on the COVID-19 epidemic over the past 7 months and how physicians should approach this disease in the future