world

Influenza is beginning to prevail in different countries, causing much concern.

The national influenza centre of China announced that the incidence of positive cases in the flu virus testing from August 31 to September 6 was high mainly in the southern provinces and seven cases of flu outbreaks were reported nationwide.

Of the flu-positive samples, the proportion of influenza A virus was 67% while that of influenza B virus was about 33%. And the H3N2 sub-variant reportedly accounted for about 96 percent of influenza A cases. 

Meanwhile, Kyodo News Service of Japan reported that flu, which used to be prevalent from late autumn to early spring of the following year, is rapidly spreading throughout the country from August this year.

Last year, flu began to spread from September in the country.

The Ministry of Welfare and Labour of Japan officially declared that an epidemic of influenza started on August 28.

During one week from August 31 to September 6, some 12 300 flu infections were reported from about 3 000 medical institutions across the country, marking a constant increase in the figure for 11 consecutive weeks.

The cause is still unknown, but a virus that has not been a mainstream during previous influenza seasons is prevailing.

The current mainstream virus is the H1N1 variant originated from the new influenza pandemic of 2009. The H3N2 variant, which rapidly swept the country during the past influenza season, is now spreading in small numbers.

The epidemic is also spreading in the East Asian region that has close contact with Japan, sparking off vigilance among public health experts.

Flu viruses are said to become more active in atmospheres with the humidity of less than 40%.

They are more infectious than the common cold.

In the US, at least 20 million cases were reported during the last influenza season, of whom more than 11 000 met death.

The prevalence of flu claims the lives of old people and children, who lack immunity, and even healthy young people.

Public health experts advise that vaccination is important but it is also effective to prevent the spread of flu by observing the rules of personal hygiene, keeping distance from each other and wearing masks, since flu viruses mutate consistently.