Is there anything special about the "Japanese Flu"? What should you pay attention to when traveling to Japan in the near future?

Japanese flu causes concern.

Recently, a Taiwanese actress died of sepsis caused by influenza and pneumonia while traveling in Japan.

Along with this incident, "Japanese Flu" also became a hot search. How serious is the Japanese Flu? Why is it so deadly?

Is there anything special about the “Japanese flu”?

▲Image source: https://www.niid.go.jp/niid/ja/flu-map.html#

The influenza viruses in Japan are mainly influenza A and influenza B. As can be seen from the figure, the influenza viruses currently prevalent in Japan are mainly H1N1 pdm09.

Li Dongzeng, chief physician of the Department of Respiratory and Infectious Diseases at Beijing You'an Hospital affiliated to Capital Medical University, introduced that, generally speaking, the influenza strains prevalent around the world each year do not differ much, except for the order of their introduction.

For example, in the winter of 2023, influenza A H3N2 will be prevalent in November, influenza B will be prevalent in December, and H1N1 will be prevalent in 2024. The dominant strains in different regions and at different times will be different, but basically they are these three, with similar pathogenicity and no difference in the symptoms of influenza A. There will be no obvious difference just because it is in Japan.

There is still huge pressure

According to CCTV News, Japan Broadcasting Association TV reported on February 3 that since the flu season began last fall, the flu epidemic has continued to spread in many parts of Japan. The peak of this flu pandemic in Japan occurred at the end of 2024. Although the number of patients has been decreasing since mid-to-late January this year, the impact of the flu on Japanese society, including the pressure on medical institutions, is still continuing.

▲Image source: Japan Broadcasting Association

According to data released by the National Institute of Infectious Diseases of Japan on January 31, the cumulative number of influenza cases in Japan from September 2, 2024 to January 26, 2025 is estimated to have reached about 9.523 million. Nao Ishida, chairman of the Influenza Committee of the Japanese Society of Infectious Diseases and vice president of Kurashiki Central Hospital, called on the public to take preventive measures. Nao Ishida reminded that although the number of influenza patients is currently decreasing, the current influenza A may be replaced by influenza B, so vigilance is still needed.

According to the Japanese news website "nippon" on February 3, the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare of Japan stated in January that the number of influenza cases in Japan in the last week of December 2024 set a record. Japan's NHK reported that as the number of influenza cases continued to increase, hospitals were facing tremendous pressure, and more than 40% of medical institutions in Yokohama that could receive emergency patients were full.

Several pharmaceutical companies suspend the supply of "Oseltamivir"

In addition to the surge in the number of infections, the excessive hoarding of drugs by some medical institutions and the counterfeiting scandals of many Japanese pharmaceutical companies have also affected the stability of the drug supply chain, resulting in uneven distribution of stocks of various influenza drugs in Japan and exacerbating drug shortages.

According to NHK, Sawai Pharmaceutical, a large generic drug company based in Osaka, has announced that it will suspend the supply of the anti-influenza drug oseltamivir to major medical institutions due to insufficient inventory.

▲Several companies announced that oseltamivir supply was difficult. Source: All Japan News Network

Masaharu Matsuyama, chairman of the Okayama Prefecture Medical Association, concluded that Japanese hospitals are currently facing a "crisis." NHK also warned that influenza could cause serious brain complications, which could cause patients to suffer epileptic seizures or lose consciousness, and that the condition could deteriorate quickly.

If you get sick while traveling abroad, you should rest immediately

Li Dongzeng, chief physician of the Department of Respiratory and Infectious Diseases at Beijing You'an Hospital affiliated to Capital Medical University, said that if a person has had H1N1 in one place and goes to another country where H3N2 is prevalent, he or she may get it again.

▲Netizens posted that they were infected with influenza while traveling in Japan

Regarding traveling, especially overseas, Li Dongzeng mentioned that jet lag and physical exertion during travel can cause physical fatigue and decreased resistance. At the same time, contact with a large number of people will increase the risk of infection, and medical treatment and medication during travel are often not guaranteed in a timely manner.

Li Dongzeng suggested that one should rest as soon as possible after falling ill and not rush to go to another destination or return, as these are not conducive to recovery.

During the influenza season, especially when the destination is in the influenza season, tourists can carry oseltamivir with them as a backup.

Oseltamivir is a very safe influenza antiviral drug and has been approved for post-exposure prevention of influenza. However, oseltamivir is a prescription drug, so in principle, you should discuss with your doctor in advance whether it is suitable for you and whether there are any contraindications.

In addition, you can also carry some antipyretic and analgesic drugs, as well as oral rehydration salts to prevent dehydration and electrolyte imbalance when diarrhea occurs.

Measures for tourists visiting Japan

CCTV's correspondent in Japan reminds Chinese tourists traveling to Japan to raise their awareness of disease prevention and make adequate preparations before traveling. When traveling in Japan, if you have health problems, you can choose to go to a medical institution that provides Chinese or other foreign language services for medical treatment, and seek help from the Chinese embassy or consulate in Japan when necessary.

Be prepared before you travel

Before you travel, you can purchase overseas travel insurance that covers flu treatment and emergency medical treatment.

Measure your body temperature before traveling. Even if you do not have a fever but have symptoms such as cough and sore throat, you should be vigilant and confirm your physical condition in time.

It is recommended to wear a mask when going to crowded places; wash your hands and rinse your mouth frequently, and disinfect well; get enough sleep; it is recommended to get the flu vaccine in advance.

You can prepare flu self-test kits and medicines to carry with you. The medicines for treating flu include: oseltamivir, mabaloxavir. In addition, you can also bring antipyretics.

Go to hospital for treatment

If you have any health problems, you can also go to the official websites of the Japan National Tourism Organization, local medical care bureaus, the Japan Medical Association and other institutions to find medical institutions that provide services in Chinese or other foreign languages ​​and go there for treatment.

Some important contact numbers

Japan emergency number: 119

Tokyo Metropolitan Medical and Health Bureau Foreign Patient Medical Information Service (Chinese available): 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. 03-5285-8181

Asian Physician Liaison Association International Medical Information Center (Chinese available): 03-6233-9266

Seize the "golden 48 hours" and don't delay

Experts remind that the 48 hours after the onset of influenza are called the "golden 48 hours" for self-help. If high-risk groups do not use effective antiviral drugs within 48 hours, the disease may develop into pneumonia, severe illness, etc.

Zhang Wenhong, director of the Department of Infectious Diseases at Huashan Hospital Affiliated to Fudan University, said: "Influenza is not a cold, just like a tiger is never a cat." This vividly illustrates the difference between influenza and the common cold.

Huashan Infection published health protection measures for sudden illnesses during travel on its official account, pointing out that high-risk groups (elderly people, patients with chronic diseases) during travel, if they develop fever and respiratory infections (influenza, colds, pneumonia), should take antiviral drugs (such as oseltamivir or mabaloxavir) as soon as possible.

Cao Bin, deputy director of the China-Japan Friendship Hospital and director of the Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, advocates the "golden 48-hour self-help" measures for influenza outbreaks recommended by the influenza diagnosis and treatment guidelines, saying that if high-risk groups do not use effective antiviral drugs within 48 hours, the disease may develop into pneumonia, severe illness, etc.

▲High-risk groups mentioned in the "Influenza Diagnosis and Treatment Program (2025 Edition)"

Cao Bin said that high-risk patients with chronic underlying diseases have weak immunity and are prone to influenza, and may suffer from severe illness and death. Once influenza virus infection is confirmed, oral antiviral drugs such as oseltamivir phosphate and mabaloxavir tablets need to be taken as soon as possible under the guidance of a doctor. If there is a change in the condition, go to a respiratory specialist for diagnosis and treatment in time.

Latest news:

The Taiwanese actress's final cause of death was "sepsis" caused by pneumonia

According to the latest news from Phoenix Entertainment, the final cause of death of the Taiwanese actress was: "sepsis" caused by pneumonia.

Liu Bingyu, deputy chief physician and deputy director of the Critical Care Medicine Center (Lingyin) of Zhejiang Hospital, said that "sepsis", currently more commonly known as sepsis in clinical practice, is a critical illness of life-threatening organ dysfunction caused by an uncontrolled inflammatory response of the human body caused by infection.

"According to the World Sepsis Alliance, one person dies of sepsis every 2.8 seconds around the world. If sepsis is not treated in time, the mortality rate is very high, and the mortality rate of septic shock is 50%-60%." Liu Bingyu said that sepsis in some patients progresses very quickly, and it may progress to organ failure or even death in half a day to a day. Early identification and early treatment of sepsis are closely related to prognosis.

How does influenza trigger sepsis? After the virus invades the human body, it triggers the body's immune response, during which the body may produce excessive inflammatory responses. Liu Bingyu said that according to reports, the Taiwanese actress's case should be caused by influenza A-induced pneumonia, which caused damage to lung function and led to respiratory failure. The influenza A virus and secondary infected bacteria spread in the body, triggering an uncontrollable inflammatory storm, which ultimately led to damage and dysfunction of multiple organs.

Liu Bingyu said that people with low immunity, especially the elderly, infants and young children, as well as people with underlying diseases such as chronic kidney disease, liver disease, diabetes, etc., are particularly prone to such situations.

Dr. Liu Bingyu mentioned a method that can visually identify whether a patient has progressed to sepsis: the qSOFA scoring method. There are three main points:

1. Observe the changes in the patient's consciousness. If the patient is apathetic, drowsy, or comatose, 1 point will be given.

2. If the respiratory rate at rest is greater than 22 times/minute, 1 point will be scored.

3. Measure blood pressure. If the systolic blood pressure is lower than 100 mm/Hg, 1 point will be given. If the blood pressure of a hypertensive patient is 20% lower than the normal baseline blood pressure, 1 point will be given.

If the score is 2 or more, the risk of sepsis is high and immediate medical attention is recommended.

Source: CCTV News, China News Network, Global Times, Red Star News, China Business News, China Tourism News, Science Popularization China, Orange Interactive