Flu season in Japan begins unseasonably early

Japanese health authorities have reported an unusually early start to the country's influenza season.

The health ministry said on Friday 4,094 flu patients were reported by more than 3,000 medical institutions nationwide in the week through August 23.

The average number per institution was 1.11, topping the benchmark of 1 that indicates the onset of the flu season.

The beginning of this year's flu season is the second earliest since the survey began in 1999. The earliest was in 2009 when a new type of influenza spread.

Records do not include 2023 when influenza was reported all year round.

By region, the southern prefecture of Okinawa had 4.43 patients per medical institution, followed by Iwate and Aomori in the northeast with 2.10 and 2.08 respectively.

Near Tokyo, Kanagawa had 1.99 and Saitama had 1.83 patients per institution.

The health ministry is advising people to follow basic precautions, such as wearing masks and washing their hands.

nhk