On February 5th, the Preventive Medicine Department of the Ministry of Health announced that the event-based surveillance system in Vietnam has recorded information about the influenza outbreak in Japan.
According to data released by the National Institute of Infectious Diseases in Japan on January 31st, from September 2nd, 2024, to January 26th, 2024, approximately 9.5 million cases of seasonal influenza were reported in Japan.
In the last week of 2024 (from December 23rd to December 29th, 2024), over 317,000 cases were recorded.
Influenza Outbreak in Japan: What Are the Risks for Vietnam? – 1Recently, news of actress From Hy Vincent’s passing in Japan after contracting the flu caused widespread discussion (Image: Weibo).
Tokyo, Hokkaido, Osaka, and Fukuoka, which have large populations and are popular tourist destinations, are the areas most affected by the current influenza outbreak.
The current influenza outbreak in Japan is mainly caused by Influenza A, but there is still a risk of an outbreak caused by Influenza B.
Previously, according to information from the World Health Organization (WHO) on January 7th, acute respiratory infections tend to increase seasonally at the end of the year in many countries in the Northern Hemisphere. This is due to respiratory pathogens such as influenza viruses, RSV, and other common viruses like hMPV and mycoplasma pneumoniae.
According to WHO, the incidence of influenza-like illness or acute respiratory infections in some countries in the Northern Hemisphere increased in the final weeks of 2024 and surpassed typical seasonal levels.
Additionally, global influenza surveillance results show that seasonal influenza is also increasing in many countries in Europe (with all subtypes of influenza viruses), North America (mainly Influenza A), Central America and the Caribbean (mainly Influenza A/H3N2), East Africa (mainly Influenza B), and several Asian countries (mainly Influenza A/H1N1 pdm09). This aligns with the typical pattern observed at the end of the year.
The Ministry of Health of Vietnam will continue to monitor and closely follow the situation both domestically and internationally to provide guidance and implement appropriate measures.
At the same time, the Ministry will ensure the provision of accurate and comprehensive information to prevent panic while remaining vigilant against the evolving situation, especially during this critical period.
Current weather conditions in Vietnam are conducive to the spread of respiratory pathogens.
When Should You Be Hospitalized for the Flu?
Most cases of seasonal influenza typically recover within one week with standard treatment. However, a small percentage of cases (often those with weakened immune systems, chronic illnesses like kidney failure or diabetes, elderly individuals, children, and pregnant women) may experience severe complications such as pneumonia, respiratory failure, and even death.
Nevertheless, people should not be complacent. If symptoms worsen, individuals should isolate themselves and seek medical attention immediately. The flu can progress rapidly, leading to pneumonia and respiratory failure.
Especially for those with underlying chronic conditions such as kidney failure or diabetes, the risk of severe complications increases significantly.
If you experience symptoms like fever, body aches, sneezing, runny nose, etc., you usually treat them at home and recover within a few days. However, if you feel excessively fatigued or if your fever spikes after a few days of mild fever accompanied by chest pain or difficulty breathing, you should seek medical care promptly.
To prevent the flu, people should frequently wash their hands with soap, maintain good hygiene of the nose, mouth, and eyes, wear masks when going out to protect the respiratory tract, and avoid airborne transmission. Additionally, getting vaccinated against the flu is recommended.
