This electron microscope photo provided by the National Institute of Infectious Diseases shows the coronavirus isolated at the facility. (Photo Courtesy of the National Institute of Infectious Diseases)

       TOKYO -- A Tokyo resident in her 50s who had COVID-19 was found dead at home in August having never received local public health center health checks, after the hospital that diagnosed her failed to notify the center of her case, the metropolitan government announced Dec. 13.

       According to the metropolitan government's Social Welfare and Public Health Bureau, Musashimurayama Hospital in the Tokyo suburban city of Musashimurayama diagnosed the woman with COVID-19 on Aug. 6 and told her to stay home to recover.

       Five days later, she called the hospital to say the public health center had never contacted her. The hospital gave her the number for the Tama Tachikawa Health Center, which has jurisdiction over the area. While her phone records show she spoke to the health center, it apparently has no record of her.

       On Aug. 14, she was found dead at home. It became clear the hospital had failed to report her case to the health center.

       The nurse in charge at the hospital apparently forgot to fax an infection report to the health center. The hospital reportedly told the metropolitan government that the error was partially due to strain on hospital staff from increased workloads as Tokyo infection numbers spiked.

       Both the metropolitan government and the hospital have explained the situation to the woman's bereaved family and apologized.

       (Japanese original by Hitomi Saikawa and Shinji Kurokawa, Tokyo City News Department)

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