Swine flu continues to spread, 4000 schools closed in Japan

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20090519/wl_asia_afp/healthflujapanschools

Japan closes 4,000 schools over swine flu fears
AFP

H1N1 Spreads Rapidly Play Video ABC News – H1N1 Spreads Rapidly

Mon May 18, 11:02 pm ET

KOBE, Japan (AFP) – Japan closed more than 4,000 schools and kindergartens, double the previous day's number, to slow the spread of swine flu which has infected 163 people in the country, officials said.

Many people in the affected urban areas were wearing face masks after the western cities of Kobe and Osaka became the first in Japan to suffer domestic outbreaks of the (A)H1N1 virus which spread rapidly through two schools.

A total of 4,043 schools and kindergartens were closed in and around both cities at the request of government authorities, up from some 2,000 on Monday, an education ministry official said.

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http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20090519/wl_asia_afp/healthflujapan_20090519043214


Japan reports 173 swine flu cases, closes schools
AFP

Tue May 19, 12:31 am ET

KOBE, Japan (AFP) – Japan reported 173 swine flu infections and closed more than 4,000 schools, colleges and kindergartens for the rest of the week to slow the spread of the virus, officials said.

Experts warned that infections had probably already spread to other regions including the capital Tokyo, which with almost 36 million people is the world's most populous urban area and the heart of the Japanese economy.

Domestic Cases of H1N1 Flu Hit Schools in Japan

It appears to have started to spread in the Kansai region (Kyoto-Osaka-Kobe) of W. Honshu. Authorities seem to be ready to take drastic measures with school closures. Some universities have posted notices saying that if even one case is confirmed, they will close temporarily.

See these Japan Times articles:

1.
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20090518a1.html

excerpt:
>>Monday, May 18, 2009

Domestic H1N1 flu cases increase to 42
Large outbreak hits schools in Osaka, Hyogo

By ERIC JOHNSTON
Staff writer

The number of domestic swine flu cases hit 42 on Sunday after 34 high school and college students as well as their family members and teachers in Osaka and Hyogo prefectures were confirmed to have been infected.

The confirmations followed the discovery Saturday of Japan's first eight domestic infections of the new H1N1 flu in Hyogo. A World Health Organization expert said community-level transmission may have begun in Japan, which could lead the WHO to raise its new flu pandemic alert to the highest level of 6 from the current 5.<< href="http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20090517a3.html">http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20090517a3.html

excerpt:
>>Kobe and Hyogo Prefecture officials announced nine steps they were taking to contain the spread of the virus and calm public fears. These included closing 75 public and private kindergartens, elementary, junior high and high schools, and universities in the city's Higashi-Nada, Nada, and Chuo wards, as well those in nearby Ashiya, until Friday. International schools in the designated wards, including the Canadian Academy, were also closed.<<