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Flu season has peaked nationwide, say health officials

10 Comments

The National Institute of Infectious Diseases said Saturday that it believes this year's flu season has peaked.

The institute said that as of Friday, the number of flu patients who were seen per medical facility averaged 40.34, which it estimates was a decrease of around 100,000 cases from the week before, Fuji TV reported. According to the institute's estimates, around 2,010,000 people were infected in that week.

The institute added that although the general national trend is downward, cases are still on the increase in certain areas, such as Kagoshima Prefecture.

The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare is urging people to continue to take precautions against infection, such as keeping rooms humid, washing hands thoroughly and gargling regularly.

This winter, most patients tested were found to have been infected by the A strain of the virus, known in Japan as the “Hong Kong” strain.

The institute added that it believes one of the causes of the large number of infections this year may have been the unusually high number of low-humidity days, which create conditions in which it is easier for the virus to attach itself to the mucous membrane in the throat.

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10 Comments
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Well so far so good, no one in my family has come down with any kind of flu! But for all of those that have, well I do hope they get better soon!

3 ( +5 / -2 )

Always surprised when I see how few men in Japan wash their hands when use a public toilet...less than 1/2 do in my estimation. No wonder flus, colds and such things spread so easily with handwashing being so lax. Oh, I forgot--the masks are supposed to help....sure.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

My daughter been in bed for past few days with it but Tamiflu seems to be working. If anyone needs a good doctor I cant recommend Dr. Lomax at Tokyo Medical Clinic high enough!

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Some places are being very careful. My MiL was told that her sister who lives in a care facility cannot be visited by anyone from outside, including family, for at least another ten days, to avoid the possibility of the old ladies catching a virus brought in from outside.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Saw a man on the train digging his nose up and then plastering it onto the steel pole so everyone can touch it...totally gross! A good bottle of hand sanitiser is a must in winter.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Washing hands is good but gargling with LISTERINE every 30 minutes!! Kills them pesky viruses in our mouth and throats!! Saw it on the Japanese tv and so far so good!!

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

MapleG - you're absolutely right. And even the minority who take the time to wash their hands have to do so without that extravagant, new-fangled thing they call "soap" if they're one of the couple of dozen people who use the subway system in this burg.

A superstitious person would be able to point to the concentration of people here without the first stage of hygiene, indicate the absence of plague, and presume God's blessing is upon this unique isle. Instead of giving credit to sheer luck, which of course is the real explanation why we've got away with it thus far.

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

"We think it's peaked, but it's still increasing in certain areas. Even though most of you who caught the flu this year had flu shots before catching, please continue to get them."

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

Those of you who became temporarily civilised can all go back to not washing your hands again

-4 ( +1 / -5 )

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