THOUSANDS OF INFLUENZA CASES REPORTED ACROSS JAPAN DUE TO AN OUTBREAK

Sat 21 December 2024:

Following an influenza outbreak, Japan reported thousands of cases across the country, local media has reported.

Some 94,259 flu patients were reported in one week up to December 15 in 5,000 hospitals and clinics across the country, according to NHK on Saturday.

Total cases in the country have now reached 718,000 in the current season.

The head of the influenza panel at the Japanese Association for Infectious Diseases, Ishida Tadashi, warned that case counts will be high this season because people were less exposed to the flu virus during the coronavirus pandemic and lack immunity, according to the broadcaster.

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Ishida said that the current outbreak will peak around January, urging the public to take precautionary measures, such as washing their hands and wearing masks.

Influenza has impacted Japan repeatedly over centuries, with significant outbreaks often coinciding with global pandemics. The 1918 Spanish flu devastated Japan, infecting millions and causing over 400,000 deaths.

Subsequent pandemics, like the Asian flu (1957) and Hong Kong flu (1968), also hit Japan hard, though advancements in medicine and public health helped mitigate their effects.

In recent years, outbreaks like the 2009 H1N1 pandemic prompted nationwide vaccination campaigns and stricter public health measures. Japan’s approach emphasizes rapid response, vaccination, and community cooperation to control seasonal and pandemic influenza.

SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES

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