Since flu cases in Japan hit a record high in late December last year, some hospitals and pharmacies have faced shortages of flu medication. According to China Media Group, this shortage has been attributed to uneven stock distribution, exacerbated by excessive hoarding by certain medical institutions.
Japan's National Institute of Infectious Diseases estimated that from September 2, 2024, to January 26, 2025, the country recorded approximately 9.523 million flu cases, according to data released on January 31.
Japan's Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare reported on January 11, 2025, that the final week of December 2024 marked the highest weekly flu caseload since record-keeping began in 1999. Approximately 5,000 designated medical institutions reported 317,812 patients during that week – averaging 64.39 cases per facility – far surpassing the government's warning threshold of 30.
In response to the outbreak, health officials repeatedly urged citizens to adopt precautions such as mask-wearing and thorough handwashing.
Japan is also experiencing a surge of avian influenza outbreaks, with around 5 million chickens and other birds culled across five prefectures in January.
The country's Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries warned that the outbreaks showed no signs of slowing and the situation may worsen, potentially breaking records.
The ministry also noted the impact on egg prices, reporting a 15 percent increase since the start of the year.
(With input from Xinhua)
Reference(s):
Panic buying causes drug shortages in Japan amid flu outbreak
cgtn.com
