Key Facts
• November 4: Influenza closures announced in Iwate Prefecture and Morioka City.
• Affected schools: 1 elementary, 1 middle, 1 high school, and 1 support school.
• Total cases: 308 students infected across multiple schools.
• Hanamaki Wakaba Elementary: 111 out of 671 students infected; grades 1 and 2 closed.
• Oshu Mizusawa Elementary: 26 out of 579 students infected; grade 4 closed.
• Rikuzentakata Hirota Elementary: 11 out of 86 students infected; grade 2 closed.
• Kamaishi Hirata Elementary: 17 out of 142 students infected; grades 3 and 4 closed.
• Shizukuishi Middle School: 33 out of 336 students infected; grade 3 closed.
• Morioka Daishin Elementary: 43 out of 554 students infected; one grade 1 class closed.
• Kitakami Kurosawajiri West Elementary: 12 out of 391 students infected; one grade 2 class closed.
• Ofunato Inokawa Elementary: 21 out of 254 students infected; one grade 4 class closed.
• Kitakami Kurosawajiri North High School: 26 out of 633 students infected; one grade 1 class closed.
• Morioka Mitake Support High School: 8 out of 105 students infected; two grade 4 classes closed.
• 2025 season: 56 influenza-related closures in Iwate, compared to 1 in 2024.
Summary
On November 4, Iwate Prefecture and Morioka City reported influenza-related closures in multiple schools, affecting 308 students. Schools impacted include elementary, middle, high, and support institutions across various cities such as Hanamaki, Oshu, and Shizukuishi. Specific closures ranged from entire grades to individual classes, with infection rates varying from 8 to 111 students per school. This marks the 56th influenza-related closure in the 2025 season, a significant increase from just one case during the same period in 2024. Authorities continue to monitor the situation closely.
