Influenza outbreak: Japan reports thousands of cases across country

ANKARA

Following an influenza outbreak, Japan reported thousands of cases across the country, local media reported on Saturday.

Some 94,259 flu patients were reported in one week up to Dec. 15 in 5,000 hospitals and clinIcs across the country, according to NHK.

Total cases in the country have now reached 718,000 in the current season.

The head of the influenza panel at the Japanese Association for Infectious Diseases, Ishida Tadashi, warned that case counts will be high this season because people were less exposed to the flu virus during the coronavirus pandemic and lack immunity, according to the broadcaster.

Ishida said that the current outbreak will peak around January, urging the public to take precautionary measures, such as washing their hands and wearing masks.

*Writing by Islamuddin Sajid