Flu hits 'alarm level' for 1st time this winter

[Russell]

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Influenza reached the "alarm level" for the first time this season after an estimated 1.73 million flu cases were reported last week, an increase of more than 50 percent from the previous week, the health ministry said Friday.

According to the Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry, about 5,000 medical institutions throughout the country reported an average of 35.95 flu cases in the week starting Jan. 23, exceeding the alarm level of 30, ministry officials said.

The average has surged from 22.73 new flu cases per institution, which was the "alert level," the previous week. It also eclipsed last year's peak of 31.88.

The number of new flu patients was estimated at about 1.73 million, up from about 1.1 million the week before.

The Type A Hong Kong flu virus accounted for about 90 percent of these cases. As this virus has not seriously hit the country for the past four seasons, most new infections have been among children who have not built up their immunity to it.

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[sublight]

Ever since one case of flu a few years back left me in a semi-coma for about 3 days, I've just gone ahead and gotten a flu shot every season. That was when I stopped wondering how someone could possibly die of the flu.

[Coligny]

Personnally I enjoy wayyyyy too much the fever induced dreams to get any vaccination... Which is a bit risky for someone in such a proximity from medical facilities and personnel...

(I'm exploiting a loophole in the family chain of command...I take mah orders form dadinlaw... but since he's always too busy to manage minor internal family affairs, by the time he realise I didn't get mah flue shots, season is already over...)

[Yokohammer]

Never used to bother (back when I had the "immortality" of youth), but I've been getting the shots for the past few years. Might be coincidence, but I don't think I've even had a cold since I started getting 'em.

[Greji]

Never used to bother (back when I had the "immortality" of youth), but I've been getting the shots for the past few years. Might be coincidence, but I don't think I've even had a cold since I started getting 'em.

I got my free J-gov flu shot a couple of weeks ago. It only cost me 3500 yen.
Glad I had insurance. Maybe the flu is an economic stimulus....

[Yokohammer]

I got my free J-gov flu shot a couple of weeks ago. It only cost me 3500 yen.
Glad I had insurance. Maybe the flu is an economic stimulus....

Mine only cost 3,000 yen, and that's without insurance (I didn't think flu shots were covered).
Is there some kind of Geezer Premium or something?

[Mike Oxlong]

:!:
Mine only cost 3,000 yen, and that's without insurance (I didn't think flu shots were covered).
Is there some kind of Geezer Premium or something?

It varies by clinic. I've seen it charged from 2500 to 4000 here.

[Greji]

And it's free!

[james]

mine definitely wasn't covered and i paid 3,500 yen for it. seeing as i work with booger hunting little monsters who can't be arsed to cover their mouths when they cough, it's a must.

[Mike Oxlong]

mine definitely wasn't covered and i paid 3,500 yen for it. seeing as i work with booger hunting little monsters who can't be arsed to cover their mouths when they cough, it's a must.

That goes just as much for office workers and other "adults" here. I remember much mocking here of Obama's televised advice during the swine flu epidemic to cover one's mouth with a sleeve when coughing. Most people here have no clue. They don't bother turning their heads or covering their mouths. Which is why I fully approve of the surgical style masks. It's the only way coughs and sneezes are ever suppressed here.