Tokyo, Jan 11
The number of influenza patients reported at designated medical institutions across Japan in the final week of December hit the highest level since the current record-keeping began in 1999, according to the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare.
In the week through December 29,317,812 flu patients were reported across roughly 5,000 institutions, averaging 64.39 people per facility and surpassing the warning level of 30, the ministry said.
The record figure jumped from 42.66 the week before, marking the 10th consecutive week of increase.
All the country's 47 prefectures reported an increase from a week earlier, with 43 topping the warning level, according to the ministry.
"The fact that people expanded their range of movement as they entered the holidays could be a contributing factor," a ministry official said.