According to the Japan National Institute of Infectious Diseases in Tokyo, 167 measles cases have been reported through Feb. 10, making it the worst measles outbreak in the country in 10 years.
Mie and Osaka prefecture’s have been hit the hardest with 49 and 47 cases, respectively. Asahi Shimbun reports, The high numbers in Mie Prefecture were triggered by an outbreak at a training workshop of a local religious group, leading to widespread infections among the participants, their families, hospitals and schools since Jan. 7.
In total, 20 or the 47 prefectures in Japan have been affected by the measles outbreak.
In an update on other infectious disease issues Japan has been battling for the past several years, the number of rubella, of German measles cases reported to date is 447 and the sexually transmitted infection, which Japan saw more than 6,000 cases last year, has seen 567 cases through Feb. 10.
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