An estimated 14,000 patients visited medical institutions for influenza during the period between last fall and March 7, the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare recently announced.
The number of influenza cases is believed to be the lowest at least since 1999, when the current counting method began. Last flu season, when the number of cases was relatively low, the estimated number was 7,285,000.
This time around, there were fears that the novel coronavirus and influenza would spread simultaneously. However, it is believed that the number of influenza cases has greatly decreased because of calls for thorough hand washing and hand disinfection, and the wearing of masks, coupled with a drastic decrease in travelers to and from overseas.
About 5,000 medical institutions nationwide each week report the number of influenza cases, and the estimated number of patients is based on these figures.
The number of reported cases for the week ending March 7, the last announcement of the season, was only 26.
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