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Aso calls for calm response as new flu infections exceed 5000 in Japan
You are more lucky to live in a place which at least give more chances to deminish the spread of this virus.
There is no mystery how the closure of schools will help.
The majority of out of Mexico 2nd grade spreading actualy results from schools/Universities pupils and their's teachers.
So it is perfectly logic and good to close such spreading places, and gatherings.
At the same time, there are other places you highlights as the working places, to be filtered which are neccessary to be open, and the others giv'em an min. payed holliday period, to slow at the begining - when it has still probabilities, than when the illness is already overspreaded as in many other countries schools.
Ther will be enaugh time later if things goes much more wrong, to give up from inner places closures.
My best health and pandemic vanishing wishes.
Thank you for your kind wishes! To clarify, I wasn't stating my own opinion--I was pasting in a blog entry from someone on the Net.
Re: Japan: 21 high school students confirmed with A(H1N1) in two different schools
Over 1,000 schools, kindergartens in Osaka, Hyogo to be closed due to new flu
Sunday 17th May, 06:09 PM JST
OSAKA ?
More than 1,000 educational facilities?kindergartens, and elementary, junior and senior high schools?in Osaka and Hyogo prefectures have decided to suspend classes for certain periods following the confirmation of new flu infections in the prefectures, local authorities said Sunday. The two prefectures have requested private schools to follow suit.
Osaka Gov Toru Hashimoto told a press conference, ??I ask Osaka residents to wash their hands and wear masks...While the prefectural government will take all possible measures (to counter the new flu), I expect the people of Osaka to remain calm.?? Hashimoto also said it would be necessary to shift the current emergency response to the new influenza to that for seasonal flu at some point, saying, ??Otherwise, urban functions will be stalled.??
As Japan Confirms Community Spread in Some of the 93 Swine Flu Cases - Pandemic Level 6?
Japan confirms 93 swine flu cases
May 18, 2009, 4:54 am
KOBE, Japan (AFP) - Japan's number of confirmed swine flu cases soared to 93 at the weekend, officials said late Sunday, amid fears hundreds more are already infected in the country's crowded cities.
Most of the infections were reported among high school and college students in and around the western cities of Kobe and Osaka, where authorities ordered more than 1,000 schools and kindergartens to stay shut on Monday.
The island nation until Friday thought it had kept the virus at bay, after detecting four people who tested positive when they flew in from North America and immediately quarantining them along with about 50 fellow passengers.
But since the government Saturday confirmed the first domestic case, a 17-year-old male Kobe student who had not been overseas, the number of confirmed infections has risen quickly in the two urban areas.
Late Sunday officials in Hyogo prefecture, which includes Kobe, told AFP 53 cases had been confirmed, while Osaka prefecture reported 36, raising the national toll to 93, including the four overseas infections.
Masato Tashiro, the chief flu researcher at the National Institute of Infectious Diseases, said several hundred people in Japan may already be infected, the Kyodo news agency reported.
Prime Minister Taro Aso has urged the public to stay calm and take hygiene measures -- such as washing their hands often and gargling -- and was due to convene a crisis meeting on the domestic outbreak early Monday.
Shigeru Omi, a former senior official at the World Health Organization who is now head of the government's special swine flu task force, warned: "We believe that the infection is beginning to spread in the region."
The WHO said Saturday it was closely monitoring the situation in Japan .
Residents of Kobe have rushed to hospitals and emergency fever clinics, while pharmacies are quickly running out of face masks. Doctors performed physicals in tents set up in front of the hospital.
Most public transport and supermarket staff started wearing face masks.
Japanese people are known for being extremely hygiene-conscious, with people often wearing face masks to protect themselves against hay fever and flu bugs, and to shield others from their germs when they catch a cold.
Students and even adult workers are instructed how to wash their hands effectively and gargle, while antibacterial materials are used in products including men's socks, computer accessories and some banks' cash machines.
"I had never dreamed that the new type flu outbreak would happen in my city," said Seiji Koga, a 62-year-old Kobe construction company worker. "Since we can't move away, we have to spend restless days for now."
No cases have yet been reported in greater Tokyo, which with almost 36 million people is the world's most populous urban area.
"..But since the government Saturday confirmed the first domestic case, a 17-year-old male Kobe student who had not been overseas, the number of confirmed infections has risen quickly in the two urban areas..."
This is the definition of Phase 6 of the WHO Pandemic Scale.
2 different WHO regions with widespread human transmission of a novel animal based influenza.
"Phase 6, the pandemic phase, is characterized by community level outbreaks in at least one other country in a different WHO region in addition to the criteria defined in Phase 5. Designation of this phase will indicate that a global pandemic is under way."
"Phase 5 is characterized by human-to-human spread of the virus into at least two countries in one WHO region. While most countries will not be affected at this stage, the declaration of Phase 5 is a strong signal that a pandemic is imminent and that the time to finalize the organization, communication, and implementation of the planned mitigation measures is short."
The new infection of swine flu, and another series which is followed by Osaka, Hyogo Prefecture, to 17-18 early in the morning increased by 84 people, according to the ministry and local government, until the early morning hours of 18 total 96 (found in the quarantine of Narita Airport, including four people) climbed.
高校生が９割を占め、感染者が確認された学校は１６日の２校から１０校以上に拡大した。
Occupies 9 percent of high school students, schools have been infected in 16 days from the school expanded to more than 10 schools.
Osaka Gov. Toru Hashishita the early morning of July 18, "After consultation with the ministry, the middle school throughout the prefecture, the school will be closed for a week."
期間は１８日から１週間。
Period of 18 days a week.
日本の感染者数は米国、メキシコ、カナダなどに次ぎ、急激に増えている。
The number of infections in Japan, the United States, Mexico, next to Canada and are rapidly increasing.
World Health Organization (WHO), the current alert level, "Phase 5" from the global epidemic (pandemic) and it indicates that "Phase 6" over the decision of whether to raise, increasing attention to Japan that.
16 high school was in Kobe, Hyogo (Nada Ward, Kobe) Hyogo same high school (in Nagata-ku) in addition to the newly confirmed the Kansai Okura High School, a private middle school (Ibaraki, Osaka) and Kansai University (Suita City's), High School, Takasago, Hyogo (Takasago, Hyogo Prefecture), Youka same (or so) high school (the adoptive father (bush),), the high school Toyooka (Toyooka said), high school Wadayama the (city's Asago ), Industrial College Kobe (Kobe, Nishi-ku), a private high school in Kobe industrial Nomura (Nagata Ward's), Rokko private high school (the Nada district).
But other than that Kobe was the infection, officials said the ministry "(Kobe and Osaka) and epidemiological link (relationship) may have a separate event may be. Epidemiology investigation should be considered after the conclusion of the investigation, "he said, the government's new anti-domestic INFURU" Phase 2 "from the" third phase (phase spread), "The move indicates that the premature .
新型インフルは毒性は低いが、感染力は強いとされる。
The new INFURU toxicity is low, and infectious are strong.
今後、兵庫県や大阪府で患者が増え、関連の病院の病床が不足する可能性がある。
The increasing number of patients in Osaka and Hyogo Prefecture, may be related to lack of hospital beds.
Also, if the current and new tests positive INFURU State, has been confirmed by the National Institute of Infectious Diseases, ministry, Kobe, Hyogo, Osaka, Osaka reliable test results as is confirmed, and no confirmation of the lab. http://tinyurl.com/pzhtkr
Re: As Japan Confirms Community Spread in Some of the 93 Swine Flu Cases - Pandemic Level 6?
More than 90 domestic new flu infections confirmed
OSAKA, May 18 KYODO
The number of cases of domestic new flu infections in Japan hit 92 on Sunday after a total of 84 high school and college students as well as teachers and others in Osaka and Hyogo prefectures were confirmed to have been infected with the new strain of influenza A. The confirmations followed the discovery Saturday of Japan's first eight domestic infections of new flu in Hyogo, which adjoins Osaka. A World Health Organization expert said community-level transmission may have begun in Japan, which could lead the WHO to raise its new flu pandemic alert to the highest level of 6 from the current 5. http://home.kyodo.co.jp/modules/fstStory/index.php?storyid=439191
Re: As Japan Confirms Community Spread in Some of the 93 Swine Flu Cases - Pandemic Level 6?
Swine flu hits Japanese students
By Lindsay Whipp in Tokyo
Published: May 17 2009 16:03 | Last updated: May 17 2009 16:03
Officials struggled yesterday to contain a rapidly spreading outbreak of swine flu among students in western Japan that over the weekend vaulted the country into the ranks of countries most affected by the virus.
By last evening, officials had confirmed at least 40 new cases among students and teachers who had not left the country recently, on top of four cases confirmed the previous weekend among a school group returning from Canada. While there have been far larger numbers of cases in North America, elsewhere only the UK and Spain have reported more cases.
The new cases were reported from the cities of Osaka and Kobe and neighbouring communities. A number of those infected were members of the same volleyball club. Kobe officials have shut about 300 schools for seven days in an attempt to prevent the virus from spreading. Schools have been asked to postpone planned trips while some care centres for the elderly and disabled have been temporarily shut. Festival events planned for the past weekend and this week have also been cancelled. Osaka took similar steps.
Authorities were investigating how the virus had spread. The government had been quick to implement stringent measures to try to prevent the flu from entering the country after the initial outbreak in Mexico last month. Japan temporarily suspended visa waivers for Mexicans entering the country. Health officials instituted on-board health checks on flights landing from North America. Takeo Kawamura, chief cabinet secretary, said on Saturday people could be reassured as the country had stockpiles of the antiviral drugs Tamiflu and Relenza to treat about 38m people.
Mr Kawamura said that the confirmation of domestically contracted cases meant the spread of swine flu “had entered a new stage” in Japan. “From now, our biggest challenge is to prevent the further spreading of the virus and to do what we can to stop the virus becoming more severe for those suffering,” he said.
As of Sunday, there were 8,480 reported cases of the flu globally in 39 countries, with 72 deaths, according to the World Health Organisation. Japan’s recent outbreak tally puts it seventh globally in terms of the number of confirmed cases.
China over the weekend reported its third confirmed case of swine flu, involving a student returning from the US. Hong Kong separately yesterday also reported its third confirmed case, also involving a student returning from the US http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/00bc0718-4...nclick_check=1
TOKYO ?
The number of cases of new flu infections in Japan reached 129 as 33 more infections were confirmed. Prime Minister Taro Aso called for calm Monday amid the rapid spread of a new influenza in Japan.
Aso said the Japanese government has no plans to ask citizens to refrain from holding meetings or scale down corporate activity. He made the remarks at a meeting of the government task force on the H1N1 influenza epidemic.
? 2009 Kyodo News. All rights reserved. No reproduction or republication without written permission.
W.H.O. May Raise Alert Level as Swine Flu Cases Leap in Japan
By DONALD G. McNEIL Jr.
Published: May 17, 2009
The number of swine flu cases in Japan soared over the weekend, raising the likelihood that the World Health Organization will soon have to raise its pandemic alert level to 6, the highest level.
...
Before the outbreak began last month, Japan used about 60 percent of the world?s Tamiflu stock.
[ie of the amount used at that time]
Recall that Japan also had the highest report rate for abnormal behaviors (including suicide) in young people with influenza.
Vigilance for an increase in these reports is warranted.
JT
Thought has a dual purpose in ethics: to affirm life, and to lead from ethical impulses to a rational course of action - Teaching Reverence for Life -Albert Schweitzer. JT
Kobe city decided to send H1N1 patients with mild symptoms back home without isolating them in its designated hospitals for infectious diseases. This is a preparatory measure for the next ?pandemic stage? where priority shall be given to hospitalizaion of patients with severe symptoms. Doctors will judge whether patients need hospitalization.
While only 54 beds for the contagious disease treatment were available in three hospitals in the city, the city already had 49 H1N1-confirmed patients as of 10AM today.
Osaka prefecture had already made a similar decision.
Osaka Gov. Toru Hashimoto called Health, Labor and Welfare Minister Yoichi Masuzoe to request that guidelines to relax measures against swine flu be issued, citing the possibility that current steps could bring city functions to a halt, Hashimoto revealed at a press conference on Sunday.
"The measures we have taken have assumed a high virulence akin to avian flu, but the swine flu virus appears to be less virulent," Hashimoto said. "At some point, we must shift our line of action to something appropriate for seasonal influenza."
According to the Japanese government's pandemic flu action plan, in the second phase, or "early stage of domestic outbreak," patients must be hospitalized at designated medical facilities. Osaka, however, has approved patients to recuperate at home, depending on their condition -- the first prefecture to take such measures, according to prefectural officials.
Osaka has ordered the closure of kindergartens, nursery schools, and elementary schools in eight cities including Ibaraki and Toyonaka, where students confirmed to have swine flu reside or where their schools are located. The prefecture has also requested the closure of facilities such as non-residential centers for senior citizens and movie theaters, as well as the cancellation of events that involve large numbers of people. These measures are expected to stay in effect until May 23.
Group outbreaks of influenza among students in some highschools in Kansai region had been noticed for a while before the novel flu was found among students one after another. However, no one suspected novel flu because the students had no history of overseas travels. Consequaently, the novel flu wasn?t discovered until after it was considerably spread.
?Many students were absent from school and classes were closed. But it was considered as an outbreak of seasonal influenza.? a government official said. A number of seasonal flu cases are still found now that the flu season is completely over. Usually, only a rapid test is performed in the clinic to determine whether the virus is A type or B type.
Last week in a private high school in Kobe, all the classes of a grade were closed as 7 students were absent and others had fever and flu-like symptoms.
-snip-
Off-season flu outbreaks were noted at an influenza conference session of Kobe medical association. However, suspected cases of overseas travelers were given priority for PCR tests and the specimen of the high school student who were found infected with A(H1N1) as the first inland patient was tested only three days from the request for testing.
************************************************
Note: According to ML flu report, 400 volunteer doctors reported 282 flu cases in the week of May 11. All were considered as seasonal flu cases. However it may include some A(H1N1) cases.
Re: Aso calls for calm response as new flu infections reach 129 in Japan
........In Japan, schools and kindergartens were shuttered across the western prefecture region, media said. Students were asked to stay at home, but local governments advised businesses to operate as usual.
The news boosted shares of drugmaker Chugai Pharmaceutical due to hopes for strong sales of the Tamiflu anti-viral drug. Shares of firms that make medical masks also jumped, though the Nikkei stock average tumbled nearly 3 percent.
.... Japan's government said on Monday it had decided not to raise its domestic alert level to phase three, which would mean limiting preventive use of drugs, among other measures.
"Risks posed by the new flu are hard to predict as it's unknown how far it will spread," John Lipsky, International Monetary Fund first deputy managing director, told reporters in Tokyo.
"It could have a notable effect on Japan. In the case of Mexico, officials there say their outbreak reduced gross domestic product by 0.5 percent," he said......
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