Flu Cases in Japan Reach Epidemic Warning Level
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VIVA – The Japanese Ministry of Health reported that the flu cases in Japan reach the epidemic warning level in a week, as of January 29, 2023. It happens for the first time in three years.
According to data released by the National Institute of Infectious Disease, the average number of patients per medical institution nationwide came to 10.36, surpassing the warning level benchmark of 10 per institution. The warning level suggests the possibility of an epidemic occurring in the coming four weeks.
About 5,000 regularly monitored medical institutions in all of Japan’s 47 prefectures reported a total of more than 51,000 influenza cases during the seven days. By prefecture, the per-hospital number was the highest in Okinawa at 41.23, followed by Fukui at 25.38, Osaka at 24.3, and Fukuoka at 21.70, the data showed.
Local experts are warning that flu infections could spread further unlike normal years after strict COVID-19 countermeasures appeared to help keep flu infections at fairly low levels in 2021 and 2022.
Ilustrasi virus Influenza.
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The Japan website reported that the influenza season has started in six of the country's 47 prefectures. All six prefectures, including Iwate, Tokyo, and Kumamoto, saw the number of flu patients per hospital rise above the one-in-a-week threshold through Sunday.
Flu Cases in Children Resulting Encephalitis
The above figures signal the beginning of the epidemic. A survey by the ministry covered about 5,000 regularly monitored hospitals across the country. The national number of flu patients doubled from the previous week to 2,592. The number per hospital reached 0.53.
Of the 53 flu patients hospitalized since September 2022, children under 10 years old accounted for more than 40 percent. Young children can develop encephalopathy after getting the flu.
