Japan has reported very few cases of influenza infection again this year in an apparent reflection of widespread efforts to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Still, experts are calling for continued vigilance, noting that cases involving other infectious diseases are on the rise.
The flu season in Japan usually starts around November and December and peaks in January and February.
According to the health ministry, the estimated number of flu patients between September 2020 and February this year stood at around 14,000, far below the usual levels of 10 million to 20 million.
The 2020-2021 figure compares to around 7,285,000 patients in the winter of 2019-2020, just before the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to the ministry, which receives flu reports from about 5,000 medical institutions across the country, there were only 189 reported flu cases between Sept. 6 and Dec. 5 this year, even fewer than the 263 cases reported a year before.
