The influenza epidemic in Japan has placed medical institutions under significant pressure, as the country is facing sharp escalation in flu cases, according to Eiji Kuzumi, a Japanese internist.
Kuzumi said on Thursday that this year's flu outbreak has been aggressive, and the currently prevailing virus strain has caused typical symptoms, including fever and cough, and carried a higher risk of severe illness.
Data from Japan's Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare showed that a total of 145,526 flu cases were reported in the single week from Nov 10 to 16. As cases continue to mount, both general outpatient clinics and emergency departments are struggling to keep up with medical needs from patients.
"I sometimes work in emergency care, and even young people are very sick with it. Some patients with severe symptoms are sent by ambulances. And for children, they may experience convulsions, and elderly people who cannot care for themselves often require hospitalization. Compared with previous years, there is an increase of emergency visits and hospitalizations due to influenza," Kuzumi said.
He also noted that the supply of antiviral drugs has remained stable, but there has been a shortage of common cold medicines and antibiotics for some time, posing a challenge to effective flu prevention and control.
With the year-end holidays approaching, most medical institutions in Japan are scheduled to suspend operations, which will make the access to medical care more difficult for people.
"The flu epidemic is very severe this year. It will be pretty difficult to see doctors at the end of this year or the start of the next year. For people at high risk of serious illness, vaccines and everyday infection-prevention measures can help reduce the danger. If it's possible to prepare antiviral medicines in advance and take them during this period, that'll be also a good choice," said Kuzumi.
"Our two children and I have been vaccinated. And family members in frequent contact with us have also been vaccinated. We haven't been infected so far, but for children, catching the flu can sometimes lead to illness like encephalitis. If they do get infected, it's still very worrying," said a resident in Tokyo.
Japan's medical system face growing pressure amid flu epidemic
