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Swine Flu Cases Jump To 125 Over The Weekend In Japan
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by Yuliya Talmazan | May 18, 2009 at 08:10 am
136 views | 12 Recommendations | 2 comments
Japan is experiencing a swine flu outbreak with the number of swine flu cases jumping from four to more than 120 over the weekend. There have been no deaths reported yet. Japan will now have the fourth greatest number of swine flu cases after the U.S. (4714 cases), Mexico (3103 cases), and Canada (496 cases). Japan will now also be the most infected country in Asia. The majority of people infected are students, none of them traveled overseas.
Incidentally, the World Health Organization is holding its five-day annual general meeting starting today in Geneva, examining outbreaks in Britain, Spain and Japan and discussing the production of this year’s flu vaccine.
The number of swine flu cases in Japan has risen rapidly - with more than 120 cases now confirmed.
Just four cases had been confirmed in Japan as of Friday - people who had returned from Canada.
Japanese media said the new wave in infections would make Japan the fourth-most infected country in the world, after Mexico, the United States and Canada.
None of those infected are thought to be in danger of their lives, officials say, but the government is taking no chances.
Experts believe the virus spread quickly between the two urban areas after high schools in Kobe and Osaka met for a volleyball tournament.
The newly confirmed infections involved 39 cases in Osaka and 45 people in Hyogo. Most of them were students in Kansai Okura Senior High School in the city of Ibaraki in Osaka prefecture, as well as the Kobe High School and Hyogo High School run by the prefecture of Hyogo.
As none of the students had traveled overseas recently, officials and experts are now investigating the possibility of group infections
New on the agenda at Monday's annual general meeting of the World Health Organization: the spread of swine flu to Japan
A five-day annual general meeting of the World Health Organization, which begins Monday in Geneva, will examine the domestic outbreak in Britain, Spain and Japan. WHO Director-General Dr. Margaret Chan will also reveal experts' recommendations on the production of a swine flu vaccine. WHO estimates the first batch of swine flu vaccine wouldn't be available for four to six months. Drug firms could roll out up to 2 billion doses of swine flu vaccine a year if necessary.
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Most RecentMost Recommended Comments (2)
at 16:53 on May 18th, 2009
There is no hysteria in Japan, Every one is still going to School and to Work as well as Clubs and Restaurants.
Prime minister Aso has called for calm after the WHO went over board in a statement and the Australian press portrayed Japan as being in crisis and refused to implement blanked measures to counter the flue epidemic such as advising people to stay home. The PM of Japan also stated that since the large majority of people that contracted the flue have since recovered completely; it would be overreacting to implement an advisory at this point.
hidflect, do I perceive a sentiment of racism towards Japanese from You? I hope It is not so.
http://my.nowpublic.com/world/swine-flue-hitting-japan
at 15:08 on May 18th, 2009
My suspicion is aroused. Japan is rife with incidents of hysteria. I hope I'm right. BTW - it's the last 1st world, industrialised nation with a homogeneous population