Yoshihiro Takayama, a doctor specializing in infectious diseases at the Okinawa Prefectural Chubu Hospital reported Mar. 17th that the death rate of influenza in Okinawa is the highest in the country.

In Okinawa, the average number of deaths per 100,000 influenza patients over five years is 1.24, which is 2.7 times higher than the lowest rate of 0.46 in Wakayama Prefecture.

According to Dr. Takayama, it is not known exactly why the death rate is that high in Okinawa. However, in the Chubu Hospital, doctors have noticed that many elderly patients who have been hospitalized for influenza have not taken flu immunization shots.

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