Influenza wave drastically wanes in Japan amid new coronavirus spread

A wave of influenza has been significantly waning in Japan compared with the previous year, government data showed, as many people have become wary of infection with a new pneumonia-causing coronavirus raging in China.For the week through Feb. 9, the number of reported influenza cases plunged more than 60 percent from a year earlier to 44,737, according to the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare. During the same period last year, 129,989 cases were reported.The health ministry also said the number of schools that were forced to close classes against a backdrop of an influenza outbreak was…READ FULL ARTICLE