The total number of Influenza cases reported in Japan reached 231,596 in the eighth week of this year, according to the latest weekly report issued on March 11 by the Infectious Disease Surveillance Center (IDSC) of the National Institute of Infectious Disease (NIID).

Comparable to the 1997/98 season in which the nationwide epidemic occurred, this winter will become one of the worst seasons in the past decade. Of the reported cases, influenza type B accounts for more than 50%.

The NIID warns that the epidemic may last longer than expected.