Japan Grapples with Record-Breaking Flu Outbreak, Leading to Hospitalizations and Drug Shortages

Japan Battles Record-Breaking Flu Surge

Japan is facing a severe influenza outbreak, with the average number of cases per medical institution reaching a record high of 64.39 in late December. This surge has put a strain on hospitals and drug supplies, leading to shortages of anti-influenza medications.

The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare reported that 317,812 new influenza cases were reported at around 5,000 designated medical institutions nationwide from December 23 to December 29. This translates to an average of 64.39 patients per institution, the highest since the current survey method began in 1999.

The Kyushu region was particularly affected, with Oita recording the highest average of 104.84 patients per institution, followed by Kagoshima with 96.4 and Saga with 94.36. Forty-three of the nation's 47 prefectures exceeded the warning level of 30 cases per institution, with only Akita, Yamagata, Toyama, and Okinawa remaining below that benchmark.

The surge in cases has led to a significant increase in hospitalizations. The number of influenza patients requiring hospitalization jumped to 5,144, an increase of about 1.7 times from the previous week's 3,115. The number of people admitted to intensive care units also rose to 259, up by 121 from the week before.

However, the winter break for schools has resulted in a decrease in class closures due to influenza. The number of closures dropped to 1,312, down from the previous week's 4,411.

The rapid increase in infections has also put pressure on drug supplies. Sawai Pharmaceutical Co., a major drug manufacturer based in Osaka, announced on January 8 that it would suspend supplies of its generic version of anti-influenza drug Tamiflu. The company cited difficulties in producing enough of the drug to meet rising demand.

syrup and capsules. It plans to resume supplies of the syrup in late January and the capsules in early February.