Japan has declared a nationwide influenza epidemic five weeks earlier than usual, with health officials warning that the virus may be evolving faster and spreading more easily than before, South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported. Hospitals are filling up, and schools across the country have been forced to shut down amid the unusually early outbreak. According to Japan’s Ministry of Health, 4,030 flu cases were reported at designated medical institutions during the week beginning September 22, an increase of nearly 1,000 from the previous week, crossing the official epidemic threshold. During the same period, 135 schools, kindergartens, and childcare centres were forced shut due to outbreaks among children, three times higher than last year. Medical experts say the trend reflects how the influenza virus is adapting to new environments in a post-pandemic world. “The flu season has started really early this year, but in the changing global environment this might become a more common scenario,” said Yoko Tsukamoto, professor at the Health Sciences University of Hokkaido, according to SCMP. Tsukamoto added that the virus appears to be developing resistance to conventional treatments. “We are seeing this resistance in Japan, but it is also being reported in other parts of the world,” she told SCMP. The resurgence has been most severe in Okinawa, Tokyo, Kagoshima, and Yamagata, with 28 of Japan’s 47 prefectures reporting an increase in cases. Calls for vaccination and precautions Health officials have urged residents and tourists to get vaccinated early and maintain basic hygiene. Tsukamoto advised that while flu infections are rarely dangerous for healthy individuals, young children, the elderly, and those with underlying conditions should be particularly cautious. Travel analyst Ashley Harvey, who has lived in Japan for over 15 years, told SCMP that travellers should take precautions such as washing hands frequently, keeping spaces well ventilated, and wearing masks when needed. “I am not sure if the strain we are seeing in Japan is the same as in other countries,” he said, “but there are other precautions that can be.”
