The Impact of COVID-19 Outbreak on Health Emergency and Disaster in Japan

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic highlighted the importance of health emergency and disaster risk management (EDRM) to reduce the risks and impacts of infectious disease outbreaks. We investigated Japan's response to the COVID-19 pandemic, focusing on changes made to the current health EDRM. Findings from document analysis and semi-structured interviews with six experts were integrated to provide insights into Japan's health EDRM to improve outcomes in future health emergencies. Relevant information was extracted from COVID-19 policy documents published by the Japanese government, and the interviews validated and expanded on the data already collected. Challenges faced in the country's response to COVID-19 and the changes made to the health EDRM framework are summarised. Findings were grouped into human resource topics (including essential health EDRM positions and safety of personnel), health service delivery topics (including public health and hospital primary care services), and logistical topics (including vaccination, personal protective equipment, patient transport, and telecommunications). These responses to the pandemic could serve as an example of good practice for other countries developing strategies for future health emergencies and disasters.

Effectiveness of Infection Preventive Behaviors on COVID-19-Like Illness Symptoms During the Winter Third Wave of the Epidemic in Japan: A 2-Month Follow-up Nationwide Cohort Study.

Although multilayered strategies including preventive behaviors should be adopted to mitigate coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) transmission, evidence on the effectiveness of preventive behaviors against COVID-19 remains limited. This Internet-based prospective cohort study collected baseline data in November 2020 and follow-up data in February 2021, during the third wave of the epidemic in Japan. Among the 19 941 included participants, the percentages reporting that they always used a face mask, practiced hand washing/disinfection, gargling, and ensuring proper room ventilation were 85.4%, 36.0%, 51.1%, and 44.6%, respectively. Multiple logistic regression analyses revealed that less frequently practicing hand washing/disinfection (odds ratio [OR] = 1.20), gargling (OR = 1.20), and ensuring proper room ventilation (OR = 1.38) were significantly associated with self-reported COVID-19-like illness (CLI). These results suggest that personal preventive behaviors may be effective in reducing CLI, even when universal masking is practiced.

Characteristics of Kawasaki Disease Patients during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Japan: A Single-Center, Observational Study.

BACKGROUND: Under the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, manifestations in children with Kawasaki disease (KD) are different between the Western and the Eastern countries. Particularly, there has not been a report comparing a series of KD in Japan, where KD was originally discovered and has a large number of registered cases. METHODS: We compared patients with KD under the period of the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan with the report from Italy during its reported period by a retrospective, cohort, observational study in a Japanese single center. RESULTS: Thirty-two patients with typical KD were treated during the study period, while the Italian study reported 10 patients with the signs of KD. Concerning the proof of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus type 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection, none (0%) of our KD cases showed a positive result and one and no patients developed the macrophage activation syndrome (MAS) and Kawasaki disease shock syndrome (KDSS), respectively; however, eight (80%) patients in the Italian series were confirmed with SARS-CoV-2 infection. MAS and KDSS developed in six and five patients, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Cases reported as COVID-19 pandemic-related KD in Italy showed significantly different clinical characteristics from the typical KD symptoms known in Japan. Although they show KD-like manifestations, we cannot conclude that SARS-CoV-2 has the same etiology of our 'classic' KD at the present stage.

Severe olfactory and gustatory dysfunctions in a Japanese pediatric patient with coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is often characterized by abnormal olfactory and gustatory symptoms in adults; however, detailed studies on pediatric patients with COVID-19 are extremely limited. A 13-year-old Japanese girl presented with fever and cough, and after 2 days, her olfactory and taste sensations suddenly disappeared. A real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) was performed using a nasopharyngeal swab. Because a positive result was seen, she was admitted on the 7th day of illness. On admission, the visual analogue scale (VAS) score for smell and taste was 0 of 100%. An intravenous olfaction test using prosultiamine (Alinamin test) was performed on the 15th day of illness to evaluate olfaction, and an increase in latency (33 seconds) and a decrease in duration (55 seconds) were observed. In the odor identification test using 12 different odor cards, only 7 odors were correctly identified. On the 18th day of illness, SARS-CoV-2 tested negative in the RT-PCR test; simultaneously, the VAS score for smell and taste fully improved to 100 of 100%. On the 77th day of illness, full recovery was confirmed in the Alinamin test (latency, 7 seconds; duration, 82 seconds). In this present case, an improvement in olfactory and gustatory dysfunctions was observed with negative results in RT-PCR test for SARS-CoV-2.