The number of reported cases of influenza this season in the week leading up to the 10th of this month is 73, which is significantly lower than usual.
According to the National Institute of Infectious Diseases, the number of influenza cases reported by about 5,000 medical institutions nationwide during the week up to the 10th of this month was 73, an increase of 4 from the previous week.
The number of patients nationwide in the same week estimated from this is about 1000, and the number of infected people continues to be significantly lower than usual.
Patients were reported in 25 prefectures nationwide.
Influenza is said to enter the "national epidemic season" when the number of patients per week per medical institution exceeds one in the whole country, but at this point it is far below 0.01.
Every year, there are reports of about 10,000 to 100,000 people during this period, so it was from 2015 to 2016 that the influenza did not enter the nationwide epidemic period until January when the year began. It's been 5 years since the season.