Latest news with #AtsuoHamada
Asia News Network
08-07-2025
- Health
- Asia News Network
Measles-infected person visited Osaka Expo on June 21; visitors with symptoms urged to seek medical advice
July 8, 2025 TOKYO – A young resident of Kanagawa Prefecture visited the 2025 Osaka-Kansai Expo on the same day that he developed symptoms of the measles, the prefectural government said Saturday. Aged from 10 to 19, the person is a resident of Hiratsuka in the prefecture and went to the Expo on June 21, according to the prefectural government. The Kanagawa and Osaka prefectural governments are calling for anyone who visited the venue on the same day and developed a fever or other symptoms to contact a medical facility about possible treatment. The resident traveled to Osaka by car and took a shuttle bus from a parking lot in Sakai, Osaka Prefecture, from about 8 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. to the Expo venue, according to the Kanagawa prefectural government and others. He visited eight pavilions, including those for the European Union and Cambodia, from around 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. He then returned to the parking lot via shuttle bus from around 3 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. The young person had a fever and a headache on the day that he visited the Expo. As he also developed a rash, he visited a medical institution on June 25 and 27. Genetic testing by the Kanagawa Prefectural Institute of Public Health confirmed Thursday that he had contracted measles. He has no history of overseas travel and how he became infected is unknown, according to the prefectural government. As of June 29, a total of 32 people had been confirmed to have contracted measles in Kanagawa Prefecture this year, the institute said. Highly contagious airborne disease Measles is highly contagious and spreads through the air. It can be transmitted through droplets from coughing or sneezing, as well as by direct contact with an infected person. When the virus enters the body of a person who is not immune, symptoms such as a fever, cough and rash appear within 10 to 12 days in most cases. Measles can cause pneumonia and encephalitis and is said to be fatal in 1 in 1,000 cases. Just washing one's hands and wearing a mask cannot fully prevent infection. Receiving two doses of vaccine is considered effective. The World Health Organization verified that Japan had eliminated endemic measles transmission in 2015, but new cases have continued to be confirmed. According to the Japan Institute for Health Security, 156 cases of infection had been confirmed nationwide this year as of June 22. The Expo visitor who tested positive had received two doses of vaccine. 'People who have been vaccinated twice will excrete fewer viruses. If you experience symptoms such as fever or rash, please consult a medical institution before seeking treatment,' said Atsuo Hamada, a specially appointed professor at Tokyo Medical University and an expert on travel medicine.
Yomiuri Shimbun
06-07-2025
- Health
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Measles-Infected Person Visited Kansai Expo on June 21; Same-Day Visitors With Symptoms Urged to Seek Medical Advice
A young resident of Kanagawa Prefecture visited the 2025 Osaka-Kansai Expo on the same day that he developed symptoms of the measles, the prefectural government said Saturday. Aged from 10 to 19, the person is a resident of Hiratsuka in the prefecture and went to the Expo on June 21, according to the prefectural government. The Kanagawa and Osaka prefectural governments are calling for anyone who visited the venue on the same day and developed a fever or other symptoms to contact a medical facility about possible treatment. The resident traveled to Osaka by car and took a shuttle bus from a parking lot in Sakai, Osaka Prefecture, from about 8 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. to the Expo venue, according to the Kanagawa prefectural government and others. He visited eight pavilions, including those for the European Union and Cambodia, from around 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. He then returned to the parking lot via shuttle bus from around 3 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. The young person had a fever and a headache on the day that he visited the Expo. As he also developed a rash, he visited a medical institution on June 25 and 27. Genetic testing by the Kanagawa Prefectural Institute of Public Health confirmed Thursday that he had contracted measles. He has no history of overseas travel and how he became infected is unknown, according to the prefectural government. As of June 29, a total of 32 people had been confirmed to have contracted measles in Kanagawa Prefecture this year, the institute said. Subhead: Highly contagious airborne disease Measles is highly contagious and spreads through the air. It can be transmitted through droplets from coughing or sneezing, as well as by direct contact with an infected person. When the virus enters the body of a person who is not immune, symptoms such as a fever, cough and rash appear within 10 to 12 days in most cases. Measles can cause pneumonia and encephalitis and is said to be fatal in 1 in 1,000 cases. Just washing one's hands and wearing a mask cannot fully prevent infection. Receiving two doses of vaccine is considered effective. The World Health Organization verified that Japan had eliminated endemic measles transmission in 2015, but new cases have continued to be confirmed. According to the Japan Institute for Health Security, 156 cases of infection had been confirmed nationwide this year as of June 22. The Expo visitor who tested positive had received two doses of vaccine. 'People who have been vaccinated twice will excrete fewer viruses. If you experience symptoms such as fever or rash, please consult a medical institution before seeking treatment,' said Atsuo Hamada, a specially appointed professor at Tokyo Medical University and an expert on travel medicine.
Yomiuri Shimbun
27-04-2025
- Health
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Get Latest Measles Information Before Traveling Abroad, Experts Warn as Number of Cases in Japan Increases
The Yomiuri Shimbun People at the departure lobby of Narita Airport on Saturday Cases of measles in Japan are increasing, with many patients believed to have been infected with the highly contagious disease overseas. Many people are expected to travel abroad during the Golden Week holidays, and experts are urging them to obtain the latest information on the spread of measles in the nation they plan to visit. They should also keep an eye on their health after returning to Japan. According to the Japan Institute for Health Security (JIHS), 78 people were confirmed to have been infected with measles this year as of April 13, already exceeding the 45 cases reported in 2024. Of the 78 cases in Japan, 39 people were believed to have been infected overseas. This included 30 people who are believed to have caught measles in Vietnam, three in Thailand and two in the Philippines, the JIHS said. Another 30 people contracted the disease in Japan, and the point of infection was not identified for nine people. People with insufficient immunity develop symptoms that can include fever and rashes 10 to 12 days after infection. Severe cases can be fatal, as they lead to pneumonia or encephalitis. People who have never contracted measles before and have not been vaccinated should be especially cautious. 'People who will travel to an affected area need to confirm their vaccination history in advance and monitor their health for two weeks after returning home,' said Atsuo Hamada, a specially appointed professor at Tokyo Medical University and an expert on travel medicine. People who develop a fever or rashes should contact a medical institution immediately and go see a doctor without using public transportation, Hamada said.
