The Tokyo Metropolitan Government has issued a warning as cases of a rare-yet-severe type of bacterial infection have exceeded more than half of last year¡¯s count ¡ª 88 in the capital ¡ª along with 517 infections nationwide.
Concerns over the spread of streptococcal toxic shock syndrome (STSS), often dubbed the ¡°flesh-eating disease,¡± have reportedly prompted North Korea to cancel a rare soccer match with Japan that was to take place in Pyongyang.
In serious cases, STSS ¡ª most often caused by the bacteria called group A streptococcus ¡ª can cause necrosis of the connective tissues that covers muscles, and had a mortality rate of around 30% of the infected individuals in 2023, which is ¡°an extremely high fatality rate,¡± according to the Tokyo Metropolitan Government.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.