"As of 10 October, 6,013 cases of influenza virus have been reported in Japan. More than 100 schools have closed, and nearly half of the 287 people who were hospitalized for flu in September were children aged 14 or younger. The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare declared a nationwide epidemic on 3 October. Outbreaks are classified as epidemics when the number of infections is higher than expected in a given area over a particular period of time."
"Outbreaks of influenza virus tend to occur seasonally each year, predominantly in winter across countries with temperate climates. In Japan, that usually occurs around the end of November. This year, the increase in people being treated for flu started five weeks earlier than usual, says Vinod Balasubramaniam, a molecular virologist at Monash University Malaysia in Subang Jaya. Japan has had early starts to flu season in the past few years,"
A nationwide influenza epidemic was declared on 3 October after cases rose to 6,013 by 10 October. More than 100 schools closed and nearly half of 287 people hospitalized for flu in September were children aged 14 or younger. The current increase began about five weeks earlier than Japan's usual late-November seasonal start. Possible contributing factors include increased international travel since the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change, and low prior exposure to the circulating virus among elderly people and young children. Information on circulating strains remains incomplete, with H3N2 a possible cause; the outbreak could seed cases in countries entering winter but is unlikely to become a global pandemic.
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