Category: Infectious Diseases

by Michael Gillan Peckitt April 22, 2025 Number of comments0
Health Hospitals Infectious Diseases Japan

Japan Reports 1st Tally of Acute Respiratory Infection Cases

The number of new cases of acute respiratory infection, or ARI, reported at some 3,000 designated medical institutions across Japan was 181,270 in the week through April 13, a national institute said Tuesday. According to the Japan Institute for Health Security, the number of ARI patients per medical institution in the reporting week stood at 49.39. By prefecture, Tochigi logged the highest figure, at 94.13, and Kochi posted the lowest figure, at 27.37. The number of ARI patients will be released every Tuesday, and the overview of the ARI situation in Japan will be updated every Friday.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt January 20, 2025 Number of comments0
Infectious Diseases Japan

Japan Minister Declares Unusual Situation over Bird Flu

Japanese agriculture minister Taku Eto said Monday that the country is in an unusual situation over the current spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza. “The situation has become unusual,” Eto told an emergency meeting of prefectural governments and industry groups on the day. This month alone, there have been 23 outbreaks, resulting in the culling of about 4.18 million birds. This has already surpassed the 19 outbreaks in January of the 2022-2023 season, which was the country’s worst bird flu season on record. In January of that season, 4.63 million birds were destroyed.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt January 20, 2025 Number of comments0
Disability Infectious Diseases Japan

More Avian Flu Cases Found in Japan; 1.44 M. Birds to Be Culled

The Aichi prefectural government said Sunday that outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza have been confirmed at three chicken farms and a quail farm in the central Japan prefecture. The prefectural government of Chiba, east of Tokyo, the same day announced avian flu cases at three chicken farms in the cities of Choshi and Asahi.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt January 19, 2025 Number of comments0
Disability Infectious Diseases Influenza Japan

As weekly influenza cases average at alert level in 40 prefectures in Japan, facilities for people with disabilities struggle

As influenza and COVID-19 infections spread, facilities for people with disabilities are also struggling to respond. Facilities for people with severe intellectual disabilities have found it difficult to take precautions, and there have been cases of infections spreading among users and staff.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt January 15, 2025 Number of comments0
Coronavirus COVID-19 Infectious Diseases Japan

70 mil. COVID cases, 130,000 deaths in 5 yrs since outbreak in Japan

As Japan marks five years on Wednesday since its first confirmed case of COVID-19, government data show that over 70 million people in the country are estimated to have contracted the virus as of March last year, while total deaths stood at 130,000 as of last August. While yearly deaths have declined since peaking during the Omicron variant surge in 2022, fatalities remain significantly higher than for influenza, with the virus continuing to spread seasonally in summer and winter.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt January 12, 2025 Number of comments0
Infectious Diseases Influenza Japan

Bird Flu Spreads in Japan’s Aichi Prefecture

A series of avian influenza outbreaks has hit poultry farms in the central Japan prefecture of Aichi, where the prefectural government announced newly confirmed infections for the second straight day Friday. The prefecture confirmed infections of highly pathogenic bird flu at two poultry farms in the city of Tokoname. About 177,000 laying hens raised at the two locations will be culled.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt January 10, 2025 Number of comments0
Disability Infectious Diseases Influenza Japan

Japan’s new flu cases hit record high in late December 2024

The number of influenza patients reported at designated medical institutions across Japan at the end of the year hit the highest level since comparable data became available in 1999, the Japanese government said Friday. It marked the 10th consecutive week of increase and a 1.51-fold rise from the week prior, and there were shortages of some of the medications used to treat influenza.