Data released by Japan's Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare today (17th) showed that last week, Japan's designated medical institutions reported 9074 influenza cases, a sharp increase of about 3000 cases from the previous week. Compared with last year, Japan has entered the influenza pandemic period earlier.

According to Japan¡¯s standards, the average number of cases per week by a medical establishment is more than 1, which marks entering the flu season. The data showed that from September 22 to 28 this week, Japan¡¯s average cases per medical establishment 1.04 cases, and the Japanese Ministry of Health and Labour announced on October 3 that Japan entered the flu season nationwide, five weeks earlier than last year. By the end of last week, this number had reached 2.36 cases.

Since September, 998 kindergartens, kindergartens and primary and secondary schools have been closed or partially closed, with 328 educational facilities closed or partially closed last week alone, compared to 118 in the same period last year.

Some experts say that overseas travel activity, decreased awareness of prevention, climate change and other factors have led Japan to enter the flu season earlier this year.A report published on 14th in the British journal Nature said that Japan's flu may be caused by the H3N2 strain, which has been more in Australia and New Zealand in the past two months, while recent overseas travel between Australia and Japan has been more active.

In addition, experts have pointed out that the influenza epidemic early may be associated with the hot heat of this summer. Hot weather makes people more willing to stay indoors, and receiving insufficient sunlight leads to a decrease in immunity.