Fukuoka Issues Season’s First Influenza Advisory as Weekly Cases Surge

Overview

• Fukuoka Prefecture issued the advisory on November 13 after the November 3–9 tally rose 1.51 times week over week to 1,562 cases.
• The weekly average reached 12.80 patients per sentinel medical facility, surpassing the advisory benchmark of 10.
• Localized outbreaks are stronger in cities such as Fukuoka and Kitakyushu, where per‑facility counts already exceed 15.
• The prefecture’s protocol calls for shifting from an advisory to a warning once the per‑facility average surpasses 30.
• Erythema infectiosum remains at a warning level for the 26th straight week with 74 cases, while reported COVID-19 cases held steady at 151.