Influenza, Japan declares epidemic: too many cases early and risk of spreading to Europe as well
Hundreds of schools closed, drastic measures also in Malaysia. The causes and the risk for other countries
Key points
Over six thousand infected and more than a hundred schools closed. The flu season is starting five weeks earlier than expected and is also affecting Malaysia.
What are the causes and dangers for other countries
The Japanese health authorities declared a flu epidemic after the number of infections exceeded the alert threshold. As of 10 October, there were 6,013 confirmed cases.
This is unusual for the period, and indicates a wider and earlier spread of the virus than in previous years. Usually, flu outbreaks in Japan spread between the end of November and the beginning of December, but this year the virus started to circulate strongly as early as September, reaching levels considered epidemic within a few weeks.
The numbers
The virus has already caused the closure of more than a hundred schools, while among the 287 patients hospitalised in September, almost half were 14 years old or younger, a sign that children are among the most affected.
Experts report that the increase in the number of patients treated for influenza started five weeks earlier than usual, an advance never seen before.
