Japan's health ministry and face mask makers are pouring efforts into ensuring stable supplies of masks for medical workers, with demand surging amid the outbreak of a new coronavirus.

Medical institutions across the country, including those designated for infectious disease treatment, are moving to increase their mask stocks, according to medical industry sources.

"We're increasing orders (for face masks) in case of delivery delays," an official of Shizuoka General Hospital in the central city of Shizuoka said.

Toyooka Hospital in the city of Toyooka, Hyogo Prefecture, western Japan, has been told by a vendor of difficulties procuring face masks with makers suspending shipments. "We have sufficient stocks for the time being, but we're concerned that supply shortages will be prolonged," an official of the hospital said, indicating that it is looking for a new vendor.

"There must be no obstacles to medical activities," an industry group official said. "Allowing stocks to run out cannot be tolerated."

Mask makers are boosting production, with some operating factories around the clock, but still seem to be outpaced by surging demand, including from general consumers.

Major face mask maker A.R. Medicom Inc. (Asia) Ltd., based in the Hyogo capital of Kobe, has received 100 times more orders than usual.

The company, however, cannot supply a sufficient number of face masks manufactured in China to Japan, due to Chinese authorities' request for shipments within the country on a priority basis, according to a company official.

The Japanese health ministry has called on a drug store industry group and others to avoid trying to overstock face masks.

The ministry has also asked prefectural governments to check mask stocks at designated infectious disease hospitals.

"We're seeing a frenzy for face masks right now," said an official of the Japan Hygiene Products Industry Association. "We hope the situation will settle down as soon as possible." 

JIJI Press