Gov't steps up alert for flu outbreak; boy tests negative for new virus

Friday 01st May, 07:43 PM JST

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Badge213 at 06:46 PM JST - 1st May

It's Y2K hysteria again.
outofmydepth at 06:57 PM JST - 1st May

and he doesn`t even have it!!!!!!!
kamakuradude at 07:35 PM JST - 1st May

As usual a media-incited panic ship that the majority of people in this country hop on blindly. I was waiting for the crowds of rioters with stick torches to come knocking down my door because I am from B.C. Take a deep breath Japan and stop freaking the public out. Sorry, I have to go and buy 1,000 rolls of toilet paper and a few boxes of batteries.....oh yeah, and masks, of course (what would we all do without them, eh?). Chill.
KaptainKichigai at 08:44 PM JST - 1st May

exactly
DeepAir65 at 09:18 PM JST - 1st May

on the news earlier that it is just Influenza-A - no surprised there.

But my wife also said that according to the Japanese news that swine flu is actually milder than Influenza-A - not sure what to make of that!
mael at 09:38 PM JST - 1st May

Well here in Amami it's pandamonium. Piles of stiffs at every corner waiting for the body-carts.

I've made a nice sofa out of three bodies, and I'm getting triple vaccines with duct tape twice a day.

Good luck all you who have somehow managed not to croak-it so far.

cough cough
sf2k at 10:17 PM JST - 1st May

To handle a crisis, should it really do come to Japan, takes leadership and a call for calm. Clearly this isn't even working now, let alone whenever it arrives!

Cultural differences between Canada couldn't be more stark. No face masks here, and we have 30 odd cases (real, not imaginary) and are no where close to the panic in Japan over nothing. Sick people just stay home. People are asked to wash their hands more often. That's about it. Why does it have to be so complicated?...
mael at 11:07 PM JST - 1st May

So you're in Canada? Well to be honest I've seen no one panicking in real life here. I suggest the scenes of panicking you might be seeing are concocted and tweaked my the kosher media.
mael at 11:07 PM JST - 1st May

'by'
usaexpat at 12:00 AM JST - 2nd May

And in Mexico the word is that new cases are declining and many public health officials think the 5 day shutdown will end the spread of the flu. No spanish flu epidemic here guys as I stated earlier when this is all over we will still be here. Another grand overreaction by the government of Japan.
smithinjapan at 12:14 AM JST - 2nd May

This is just typical grand standing and politicking. And low-and-behold Aso's approval rating is up.

I'm glad the kid tested negative, but am sorry to see such an overreaction all over (and yes, people ARE more wary on the trains and such), and I had one person ask me, no lie, if I'm okay since I'm from Canada. Not surprised, no (and in the case of the guy who asked me that above, I know the guy and he's truly an idiot), but still sorry.
gogogo at 12:21 AM JST - 2nd May

This is way to over hyped, it's like people have nothing better to do and are trying to justify their jobs.
RMGTTF at 01:53 AM JST - 2nd May

So you guys won't mind panic when a Latin guy wearing a Mexico t-shirt coughs beside you in the train right? I'd like to see that.

Anyways, first confirmed case in Japan is here. A baby that landed in the army base of Yokota was confirmed to have "human influenza" and other 13 passengers were isolated or so I just read.

They might later on say "no it's actually an error" but when this get public we will see a nice panic around with obachans runing away from Latin guys .
sf2k at 01:58 AM JST - 2nd May

Oddly SARS in Canada '03 imported from Asia improved people's understanding and gov't public health policy but in Japan it reinforced myths instead.

@smithinjapan: Logic doesn't follow but since you're Canadian then we just what, spontaneously have the flu?? What stunning discrimination.

It's through events like these that people get familiar and educated on how to react and what to expect...but why not in Japan?? It needs to be reinforced that Disease has no face and doesn't care about borders or income. Gov't should see this as a learning opportunity not grandstanding.

I'd be wary. Social ignorance is tenuous enough in an outbreak even here. Media love to churn up emotions, but Canadians know to not be played and stick to real info moreso than not. I find Aso's comments laced with such detrimental overreaction and grandstanding be very glad there are no actual cases in Japan.

I can't see how any gaijin doesn't become a social victim of ignorance and discrimination should this increase.

BTW pushing people's fears on trains by fake-coughing may be funny, but you're not helping people understand their error and only reinforcing their fear and stereotypes. Really really dumb. People died y'know, have some class.
KaptainKichigai at 11:34 AM JST - 3rd May

Nerd alert! thanks for the info Poindexter.