[Japan reported more than 40,000 influenza cases in one week, 7 times the same period last year] On October 9, Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare released data on the 9th showing that in the week ending October 4, designated medical institutions across Japan reported more than 40,000 influenza cases in total, about 7 times the same period last year. The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare announced the influenza outbreak situation in the 40th week of 2026 (September 28 to October 4) on the same day. Designated medical institutions across the country reported a total of 42,320 influenza cases this week, which was about 1.6 times that of the previous week and about 7.3 times that of the same period last year. On average, each designated medical institution reported 11.35 cases. This is the first time that the influenza epidemic in Japan has reached the "attention" level this influenza season. According to the standards of the Japanese health department, if the average number of influenza cases reported by each designated medical institution per week exceeds one, it marks the beginning of the influenza epidemic season; if there are more than 10 cases, it reaches the "caution" level; if there are more than 30 cases, it reaches the "alert" level. In the week from August 17 to 23 this year, designated medical institutions across Japan reported an average of 1.11 influenza cases per hospital, entering the epidemic season about five weeks earlier than in 2025. From a regional perspective, from September 28 to October 4, Okinawa Prefecture reported an average of 37.07 influenza cases per designated medical institution, the highest number in the country; followed by Saitama Prefecture and Chiba Prefecture, with 19.66 and 18.72 cases respectively. Data also shows that this week alone, 937 nurseries, kindergartens, primary and secondary schools across Japan have closed all or some grades and classes due to influenza. The number for the same period in 2025 will be 209. (CCTV News)