Hey amigos! Japan is facing a major flu outbreak, and things are getting a bit crazy! 🦠 Since late December last year, flu cases have skyrocketed, and now some hospitals and pharmacies are running out of flu meds. 😳
So, what's causing this mess? According to China Media Group, the shortage is due to uneven stock distribution and, believe it or not, some medical institutions hoarding supplies. Talk about not playing fair! 🙄
The numbers are wild! Japan's National Institute of Infectious Diseases estimated that from September 2, 2024, to January 26, 2025, there were about 9.523 million flu cases. That’s like the entire population of a small country! 😱
And get this: In the last week of December 2024 alone, over 317,000 patients were reported by approximately 5,000 medical institutions. That's an average of 64.39 cases per facility, more than double the government's warning threshold of 30. 🏥
Officials are urging everyone to mask up and wash those hands thoroughly. 🧼👐 Let's hope people listen before things get worse!
But wait, there's more. Japan is also dealing with a surge in avian influenza outbreaks. Around 5 million chickens and other birds have been culled across five prefectures in January. 🐔💔
The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries warns that the bird flu situation might break records. And guess what? Egg prices have shot up by 15% since the start of the year. Omelet, anyone? 🥚😅
Stay safe out there, folks! And remember, sharing is caring, so spread the word, not the flu! 😉
Reference(s):
Panic buying causes drug shortages in Japan amid flu outbreak
cgtn.com
