Japanese local government management of compulsory hospitalization for patients with mental disorders and comorbid COVID-19

Administering medical treatment or managing quarantine for a patient is particularly difficult when a patient harming others or causing self-harm because of severe depression, a manic state, or psychomotor agitation is also infected with COVID-19. Kanazawa University Hospital is the only facility able to manage such difficult cases occurring in Ishikawa prefecture, a local administrative area in Japan. The hospital has arranged a negative pressure apparatus in a psychiatric ward with two protection rooms. This report describes an urgently established but viable system in one prefecture of Japan for treating COVID-19-infected patients with severe psychiatric symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic. •People with mental disorders face increased mortality risk of from COVID-19.•Risks of self-harm or harming others are complicated by COVID-19 infection.•COVID-19 measures, quarantine, and mental symptoms need compulsory hospitalization.•Local management of COVID-19 and severe mental disorders are described.