Regarding influenza, which is feared to be a simultaneous epidemic with the new coronavirus, the number of cases reported in the week up to 13th of this month was 57 nationwide, which is significantly lower than usual.
The National Institute of Infectious Diseases is calling for continued attention to future epidemics, although there are no signs of an epidemic yet.
According to the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, the number of influenza patients reported by about 5,000 medical institutions nationwide during the week up to the 13th of this month was 57, a decrease of 6 from the previous week.
If the number of patients per week for influenza exceeds one in the whole country, it is said to be in the "national epidemic period", but at the moment it is 0.01.
The number of reported cases increased by 1 from 20 prefectures in the previous week to 21 prefectures.
According to the National Institute of Infectious Diseases, there are more than tens of thousands of reports every year at this time of year, which is significantly less than usual.
However, the time of the epidemic may be late in some years, and the National Institute of Infectious Diseases continues to call for attention to the epidemic situation.
Tomimasa Sunagawa, director of the National Institute of Infectious Diseases, who is conducting the analysis, said, "Although there are no signs of an epidemic by looking at other indicators, the influenza virus is not completely gone, and we will continue to take measures. It is necessary to take it. "