Flu season began in Japan earlier than usual, with average cases reported at hospitals topping 1 per hospital in the week up to Sunday, the second-earliest start in the past 20 years, the health ministry said Friday.
The cases of influenza reported at about 3,000 designated medical institutions across the nation came to an average of 1.04 patients per hospital, exceeding the 1-per-hospital mark used to determine the start of the flu season.
Setting aside 2023, as flu cases were high throughout that year, 2009 had the earliest start for the flu season on record.
By prefecture, Okinawa had the most cases, on average, at 8.98 patients per medical institution, followed by 1.96 for Tokyo, 1.68 for Kagoshima, and Fukuoka with 1.55. The fewest cases were reported in Tottori, at 0.03, with Akita, Iwate and Tokushima prefectures also registering low figures.
The health ministry is urging people to wash their hands, wear a mask and get their flu shots.
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