• Satoko Sunagawa, Yoshikazu Iha, Takeshi Kinjo, Katsunori Nakamura, and Jiro Fujita.
• Department of Infectious, Respiratory and Digestive Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, University of the Ryukyus Hospital, 207 Uehara, Nishihara-cho, Okinawa, 903-0215, Japan; Department of Pharmacy, University of the Ryukyus Hospital, 207 Uehara, Nishihara-cho, Okinawa, 903-0215, Japan.
• Respir Investig. 2021 Jan 1; 59 (1): 149-152.

AbstractSince the Okinawan islands are located in the southernmost part of Japan, where the climate is subtropical, several episodes of influenza epidemics occur during the summer season. More recently, we have demonstrated that summer influenza epidemics occur every year. After the outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) began in January 2020, measures to avoid disease transmission have been widely promoted in Japan, such as the use of masks, handwashing, remote work, and cancellation of large events. These measures might also have reduced the spread of other infectious diseases, such as the seasonal influenza. Based on this background, we evaluated weekly influenza activity in the 2019/2020 season. After the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, the summer influenza in the Okinawa prefecture disappeared in 2020. The reasons for the disappearance of summer influenza in Okinawa are discussed herein.Copyright © 2020 The Japanese Respiratory Society. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

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