Doctors are using special kits designed to detect the virus, types A and B. Test results, if done the day symptoms first show up, tend to report patients as negative, while if the same test is done the day after the initial symptoms began, the results come back positive and are more accurate.

The rRT-PCR Swine Flu Panel (reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction) is generally used after patients have tested positive using the initial test kits to further confirm or negate the initial test result.

Currently, 315 people are infected throughout Japan.

The number of swine flu cases in Japan are escalating with surprising speed, and health officials are not sure why. The Japanese government on Wednesday confirmed the first two cases of the disease in Tokyo, the world’s most populous metropolitan area. Meanwhile, the number of Japanese who have contracted the new flu has more than doubled since May 18 from 130 to 279, a rate of increase that is “without a doubt” the highest in Asia, says Peter Cordingley, regional spokesman for the World Health Organization. “It’s explosive.”

Question: How do you get “surprising speed” from only 292 cases out of 127,288,416 in a populated country that is slightly smaller than the state of California?

Time takes the opportunity to use swine flu and propel themselves into the upper echelons of website rankings by writing articles like the one mentioned above to attract visitors, sell copies of their magazine and satisfy their advertising quotas.

Time says in its opening statement that “the new flu has more than doubled since May 18 from 130 to 279, a rate of increase that is “without a doubt” the highest in Asia”. Then at the end of the paragraph they hit the readers with:

It’s explosive.

Explosive would be the number of cases doubling day by day or hour by hour. Time and other large news outlets are masters at exaggerating facts. However, it’s probably one of the reasons many people have stopped subscribing to major magazines and newspapers. They all too often overstate the facts and add too much opinion where they don’t need to.

While 292 cases to date sounds like a large number of infected people in Japan, it pales in comparison to other places. Swine flu is not in control anywhere. If anyone says the flu is out of control they are correct. But then, when has it ever been in control?

Only 292 reported cases of swine flu in Japan sounds pretty amazingly low considering the countries boasts 127,288,416 people as of 2008!

Health officials say washing your hands between your fingers up to your wrists vigorously for about fifteen seconds helps deter the spreading of the virus. Officials encourage people not to touch their faces, rub their eyes or noses if their hands are not clean.

If you have to go to a heavily populated place or ride on mass transit, wear a mask if you have one available. If you don’t, try to avoid being close to people especially those coughing or sneezing.

The spray from a cough can travel up to about two meters.

If you suspect you may be sick, you should call health authorities before going to a clinic or hospital to ensure you don’t spread the virus in those facilities. Health authorities have designated hospitals and clinics you can visit and may even provide transportation for you to get there.

The H1N1 swine flu virus being spread right now is not virulent and in most cases is light. But precautions do need to be made and people are encouraged to stay home if possible until the virus dies out or has come under control.

Pay attention to the news and keep up to date with what is going on. Staying informed is also a good way to fight the virus.

Locally, here on the border of Osaka and Kyoto, there is a slight sense of anxiety. The virus hasn’t come to this part of the metropolis, but because of news reports, many people are on edge because people infected with the virus are just down the road.

News channels and media outlets are talking about the virus 24/7 here in Japan and around the globe. Information is getting out, mostly in Japanese, but some is seeping out in English and other languages thanks to bloggers and the BBS news. News about the virus is great to hear. But some of the information getting out is not accurate or sounds worse than it really is and that doesn’t help those of us in and around the virus at close range.

Considering the latest report of 186 people being infected out of an area that has 18,643,915, 186 people doesn’t sound like a good enough reason to state that the virus is widespread in Japan when in truth it is somewhat isolated to students and those they have been in contact with since becoming infected.

Some reporters outside Japan, however, are writing their articles and using lovely little words to spice up their stories, while not false, their articles make it sound worse than it really is here in Japan.

I just read an article written by someone who is most likely writing from his desk thousands of miles away from Japan. He wrote about the situation stating basic facts. He used numbers that came from fact, but were used out of context and made the virus sound like it is spreading faster than it really has. Considering that two school teams and fans met for a volleyball match and the virus has spread from there to only 186 people, right now sounds like some very good news and not cause to begin issuing pandemic warnings.

I compare him and other reporters who glamourize their articles to the reporters who went to Iraq and reported about what was going on outside the safe confines of their Greenzone hotel rooms. Instead of reporting firsthand, they gathered information from others who reported the news back to them, added some juicy words and twists here and there to attract readers.

People writing about the virus, reporters and journalists, watch what you say and make sure your article, while trying to help readers enjoy and appreciate what they are reading, doesn’t cross over the line from reality to fiction.

Those of us living and working in the Kansai area, where the virus is currently slowly spreading, not at a pandemic rate like some say it is spreading, don’t appreciate the hype.

Most of us are going about our business while keeping a close eye on the news and those we come in contact with. We’re practicing safe communication and safe travel techniques to ensure our own safety as well as those around us. We value our lives and the lives of those living around us. Maybe those of you reporting on the area could keep that in mind as you write your next piece so you don’t cause us any harm or panic when we don’t need panicking. What will help us most is good reporting with facts, not hype.

Local health officials say that the virus symptoms are mild, but that they are preparing for worse situations to try and stay on top of the virus.

Businesses and companies are doing their part to help stop the spread of the virus by checking employees in the morning for fevers and other symptoms, and asking them to stagger their lunch schedules to try and safeguard from infection.

Smaller hospitals and clinics are finding it difficult to separate those infected with the virus from those who are not due to the lack of available space. Doctors are ordering medicine and other supplies to prepare and asking patients with light symptoms to stay at home and recuperate rather stay in the hospital or clinic.

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Those who were reported infected with the virus today are mostly students and classmates of those who attended the volleyball matches last week, while a few separate cases have been reported in Yao city.

Masks are currently hard to find in a majority of stores in Osaka and Kobe. If you cannot find a mask and live in an effected area, you may want to shop outside the effected area or shop for some online.

If you are traveling to the Osaka-Kobe area, bring a mask with you to help prevent becoming infected with the virus and spreading it to others. The World Health Organization has issued warnings that we may be experiencing the “calm before the storm” where the virus is spreading without reported infections and being passed from one person to another.

If you attended a sporting event with any team from the Osaka or Kobe areas last week, you may want to contact local health authorities to see if others from the event you attended are reporting sick.

From today, we will post information on the virus daily several times a day throughout the day where you can read and stay informed in English.

All reports on the swine flu virus will be posted to the Kansai Health category, which is visible on the front page of Kansai News.

If you find any information we have not reported on, please register and post your information. We will verify your report first before allowing it to go live to ensure quality and validity.

Most of the infected are high school students from the Kobe-Osaka area.