Infectious diseases to watch for in Japan this summer amid surge of cases
Here are some to be particularly vigilant about this summer:
Whooping cough
Whooping cough, or pertussis, is a bacterial disease that causes uncontrollable, violent coughing. As of Aug. 10, there were 64,467 cases reported this year, according to the latest data from the Japan Institute for Health Security (JIHS). That's more than 15 times the 4,096 cases logged for the entire 2024.
The disease, which affects people of all ages but is particularly prevalent among children, spreads quickly when those who are infected sneeze or cough, according to the health ministry.
The incubation period is about seven to 10 days. Early symptoms can last for two or three weeks and are similar to the common cold, but they can worsen over time to bring more violent and frequent coughing as well as mucus.
If untreated, infections can become more severe, especially in infants, causing convulsions and the temporary cessation of breathing. They can result in serious conditions such as pneumonia and brain inflammation among young children, as well as death.
The JIHS recommends avoiding touching and inhaling droplets released through coughs and sneezes from infected patients, as well as basic hygiene practices. The DPT-IPV-Hib vaccine, administered to babies, is effective against whooping cough. Treatments include anti-bacterial drugs and cough medications.
COVID-19
While Japan entered a post-pandemic phase in May 2023, scrapping various measures, COVID-19 has made occasional rebounds and has continued to evolve.
In the week through Aug. 10, an average number of COVID-19 patients per clinic was 6.13, up from 5.53 the week before and 4.12 two weeks before, according to health ministry data.
While sample sizes are small, a genome analysis of COVID-19 variants by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government has found that most of the cases in the metropolis have been driven by NB.1.8.1, unofficially nicknamed Nimbus. Nationwide, Nimbus — a subvariant of the omicron variant — accounted for about 40% of all coronavirus infections in June. It is one of six variants currently designated by the World Health Organization among 'variants under monitoring.'
Many people infected with this variant have reportedly complained of intense throat pain, calling it 'razor blade throat.' But some experts are not sure that's a distinguishing feature, noting that a sore throat is a common COVID-19 symptom.
Cases this year of the tick-borne disease SFTS had already hit 135 by Aug. 10, topping last year's total (134) and marking a record high. |
GETTY IMAGES
Other symptoms reported so far include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, heartburn, bloating, constipation and stomach pain, according to health experts in the U.K.
The WHO said in its risk assessment report in May that 'there are no reports to suggest that the associated disease severity is higher as compared to other circulating variants.'
The health ministry advises people with a high fever and other light cold-like symptoms to test for the coronavirus at home or consult local doctors.
SFTS
SFTS (severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome) is a tick-borne disease caused by ticks infected with a virus. A total of 1,071 people were reported as having been infected in Japan between March 2013, when record-keeping began, through the end of April, with the number on the rise in recent years. By Aug. 10, cases this year had already hit 135, topping last year's total (134) and marking a record high.
SFTS used to be reported only in warmer western regions, but it has recently been detected in eastern Japan. Earlier this month, a man in his 60s was infected in Hokkaido, a first in the northernmost prefecture.
Experts say climate change has contributed to the expansion of habitats for ticks and the periods when they are active, raising the alarm about the further spread of SFTS and other tick-borne diseases.
The SFTS virus survives in nature through tick-to-tick infections and tick-to-mammal infections. Older people are particularly susceptible, and the fatality rate is estimated at 27%, according to experts who compiled treatment guidelines last year.
Symptoms start with fever, a sense of fatigue and headaches, then progress to vomiting, diarrhea and stomach pain. Even when not fatal, it can trigger severe complications.
Last year, the health ministry approved the oral antiviral drug Avigan, known generically as favipiravir, for SFTS in patients with severe conditions.
The ministry urges people to reduce skin exposure when hiking in nature and farming. Long-sleeve shirts and long pants are recommended, as well as the use of bug repellants. If bitten by a tick, visit a dermatologist to have it removed safely.
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