Health authorities are encouraging individuals planning trips to Japan not to cancel their travel arrangements following a surge in cases of streptococcal toxic shock syndrome (STSS), a rare yet severe infection. While the incidence of this potentially fatal "flesh-eating disease" is on the rise, officials are stressing the significance of simple preventive actions like hand hygiene, mask-wearing, and wound care to mitigate the spread of the infection.
The European media's coverage earlier this year of a dangerous infectious disease spreading rapidly in Japan heightened concerns about travel to the country. Despite North Korea canceling the Asian qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup in Pyongyang due to epidemic prevention measures related to the contagious disease reportedly spreading in Japan, health authorities are urging calm and emphasizing that there is no need for panic. To allay fears and reassure prospective travelers, a ministry official highlighted that the World Health Organization did not advise restricting travel to Europe in 2022 when STSS cases experienced a surge in the region.
STSS is characterized as a severe form of infection caused by streptococcus pyogenes, a bacterium that typically triggers acute conditions like strep throat in childhood. Cases of STSS tend to peak during the months of April and May, coinciding with the start of the new school term. This disease can swiftly progress to necrosis of muscle tissue and multiple organ failure, particularly affecting individuals in their 30s and older, with around 30 percent of cases resulting in death due to the sudden deterioration of symptoms. According to preliminary data from the National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Japan saw a record 941 cases of infection last year, with 556 cases reported nationwide as of March 24 this year. Notably, since the latter part of 2023, there has been a rise in patients with a highly transmissible strain of the pathogen circulating primarily in the Kanto region, also observed in Europe and the United States.