6 more new-flu cases found in Japan, bringing total to 438

Monday 08th June, 05:33 AM JST

FUKUOKA —

Four schoolchildren in Fukuoka and one each in Tokyo and Hyogo Prefecture were confirmed Monday as infected with a new strain of flu, bringing the total number of new-flu infections confirmed in Japan to 438.

The Fukuoka municipal government reported that the four students—one at a junior high school and three others at an elementary school—had tested positive for the new H1N1 strain of influenza A. Twelve other students at the two schools had earlier been confirmed infected. The Tokyo metropolitan government said a 32-year-old woman was confirmed infected after returning from New York. The Hyogo prefectural government also confirmed one new infection Monday.

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Latest 15 of 36 Total Comments Show All

fatfrenchfool at 03:28 AM JST - 8th June

masks don't work should be the headline
supercub at 05:00 AM JST - 8th June

It's up to 15,000 cases (27 dead) in the U.S. and most municipalities are not really counting anymore. Only serious cases get tested, and the real number of cases is undoubtedly many, many times higher than the official count. The bigger story is the way H1N1 has put a serious strain on emergency care in the U.S. with ER's having to deal with thousands of patients who ought to just go home and go to sleep.

I worry that this episode will create apathy toward infectious disease, when the threat of a dangerous outbreak happening is very real. It's the "boy who cried wolf" risk. Overreaction can breed cynicism and cause people to be dismissive of official warnings if a real crisis does come in the future.
sharky1 at 06:38 AM JST - 8th June

Of those 432 cases, how many are active? Just as I thought...pure sensationalism and irresponsible journalism.
Momotarou at 07:19 AM JST - 8th June

Of those 432 cases, how many are active? Just as I thought...pure sensationalism and irresponsible journalism.

Probably just a couple dozen.
supercub at 07:36 AM JST - 8th June

25 people in a country of 110 million have a not particularly dangerous flu!!! Man the barricades!!!
Apsara at 08:28 AM JST - 8th June

Most of those are long since recovered. They should start reporting on how many people have H1N1 right now- as above, maybe a couple of dozen.
EUgirl at 09:34 AM JST - 8th June

Surbercub: That is not how statistics works. 27 dead out of 15 000 reported cases.
Samuraiiki at 09:47 AM JST - 8th June

Take Vitamin C and aspirin.
kinniku at 09:59 AM JST - 8th June

Smith,

Talk to your own government... or specifically the Ministry of Tourism (or whatever it's called), who want Japan taken off the list of places where the infection is spreading? I mean, it's clear why THEY want Japan off the list, but shouldn't they also be 'alert and cautious'?

Yes, everyone should be alert and cautious. Why are you asking me such a question? Have I written somewhere that I support the Japanese of Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism? However, I think it is naive to expect any tourism ministry or government office not to attempt to clean up their country's image. Why in fact, Canada did its best to assure other countries of its beef's safety even after beef containing the mad-cow disease had been sent to a slaughterhouse. So, countries trying to protect their own rearends is not as unusual as you appear to make it seem.

Having said that, I am still glad that people are being alert and cautious.

Samuraiiki,

Take Vitamin C and aspirin.

Asperin and the flu? Good way to raise your chances of contracting Reye's Syndrome. So, probably the best advice is not to take advice from people you don't know.
supercub at 10:33 AM JST - 8th June

Surbercub: That is not how statistics works. 27 dead out of 15 000 reported cases.

The virulence of infectious disease is measured as number of deaths per cases (known as "mortality rate" or "case fatality rate"). This is precisely how the statistic works. Do you mean something else? Please explain.
tapetptape at 12:28 PM JST - 8th June

Surely the majority of the 437 have fully recovered by now as this figure has obviously just been increasing since the initial "outbreak" nearly a month ago. So in reality there is even fewer ppl who actually have this flu.
nisegaijin at 01:29 PM JST - 8th June

can they report also how many were cured?
Weasel at 10:44 PM JST - 8th June

can they report also how many were cured?

That's not how sensationalized journalism works.
Good_Jorb at 10:58 PM JST - 8th June

That's not how sensationalized journalism works.

That and the fact that there is no actual "cure" for this flu or any flu. Tamiflu and Relenza don't cure the flu but they do minimize its effects.
amerijap at 12:01 AM JST - 9th June

6 more new-flu cases found in Japan, bringing total to 438 Monday 08th June, 05:33 AM JST

Oh, now I've got it. Japantoday is keeping us posted by using this article as a template.