[Publication] COVID-19-specific prefectural hospital bed utilization rate and in-hospital mortality among COVID-19 patients throughout the first three years of the pandemic in Japan

We examined the association between the COVID-19-specific prefectural bed utilization rate and in-hospital mortality across the first three years of the pandemic in Japan (May 2020–November 2022).

Key findings include:

• Higher COVID-19 bed utilization rate (BUR) was significantly associated with higher in-hospital mortality. Compared to BUR below 25%, odds ratios (ORs) for mortality were:
  • 35 (95% (Confidence Interval) CI: 1.19–1.54) for 25–50% BUR
  • 89 (95% CI: 1.66–2.16) for 50–75% BUR
  • 16 (95% CI: 1.80–2.58) for BUR above 75%
• The association was especially pronounced among patients under 70 and during the 4th (Alpha variant) and 6th (Omicron variant) waves.
• Findings highlight the importance of avoiding hospital strain to reduce preventable mortality during public health emergencies.

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