Environmental Risks

Takatorige, Toshio; Hirose, Yukio; Nagamatsu, Shingo

In May 1980, WHO announced that a type of viral infection, smallpox, was eradicated, and it appeared that human won the battle with viral infections. Immediately after that, however, pathogen unknown before like HIV, Escherichia coli 2008) and required all member states to enhance their preparedness against influenza pandemics. The requirement calls for international cooperation so an outbreak of a new type influenza will not turn into a pandemic. Japan in 1998 set the Act on Infectious Diseases (the official title is "Act on Prevention of Infectious Diseases and Medical Care for Patients Suffering Infectious Diseases") and, in addition in 2012, established the "Act on Special Measures Concerning Novel Influenza Infection, etc.," and the legal system is in place to counter occurrences of influenza. The law states that once a state of emergency against novel influenza is declared, the prime minister takes the role of the response headquarter chief and requests people of Japan to refrain from going out, box office entertainment, and corporations to limit public transportation. The central and local governments have set their action plans and guidelines to protect the lives and health of the people of Japan and minimize the effects on our lives and economy in case a novel type influenza or alike breaks out.