Flu cases hit record high in Japan

From 23 to 29 December 2024, 317,812 new influenza cases were reported in Japan at approximately 5,000 medical institutions nationwide. According to the Ministry of Health, the average number of weekly influenza cases per medical institution reached a record 64.39 at the end of December, a significant increase compared to the average of 42.66 cases per institution in the previous week. The highest average was recorded in Oita Prefecture, with 104.84 patients, followed by Kagoshima with 96.4, and Saga with 94.36. The incidence was particularly high in the Kyushu region, with the number of influenza patients requesting hospital admission increasing to 5,144, an increase of approximately 1.7 times compared with 3,115 in the previous week. A total of 43 out of the 47 prefectures nationwide demonstrated levels that surpassed the designated warning threshold of 30 cases per institution. Only the prefectures of Akita, Yamagata, Toyama, and Okinawa maintained a rate that remained below this benchmark. Furthermore, the number of individuals requiring intensive care increased by 121, reaching 259, and the surge in infections has exerted pressure on drug supplies, owing to challenges in producing sufficient quantities to meet the escalating demand.