Japan Govt Warns of H1N1 Flu Epidemic

Tokyo, Aug. 19 (Jiji Press)--Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Takeo Kawamura said Wednesday that an epidemic of the new H1N1 strain of influenza may have fully started in the nation.

In response to the day's report of the third fatal case related to
the disease in Japan, Kawamura said the government will take appropriate
steps to contain the spread of the flu virus partly by cooperating more
closely with local governments.
The government will provide accurate information on the H1N1
influenza to the public speedily and increase stockpiles of vaccine toward
autumn, when infections are expected to increase even faster, Kawamura told
a news conference.
Kawamura's comments came after the National Institute of Infectious
Diseases on Tuesday warned of an imminent pandemic of the flu in Japan.
Meanwhile, Kawamura said that the virulence of the flu strain does
not seem to have increased.
At the moment, the government is not planning to restrict campaign
activities for the Aug. 30 House of Representatives election, he said.
Health, Labor and Welfare Minister Yoichi Masuzoe told a separate
press conference that he had not expected that the flu spread would begin in
the middle of summer.
The first fatal case related to the flu in Japan was confirmed in
the southern prefecture of Okinawa on Aug. 15 and the second case in the
western prefecture of Hyogo on Tuesday.