Medical experts say the trend reflects how the influenza virus is adapting to new environments in a post-pandemic world. (Source: Getty Images/Thinkstock/Representational)

Japan has declared a nationwide influenza epidemic five weeks earlier than usual, with health officials warning that the virus may be evolving faster and spreading more easily than before, South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported. Hospitals are filling up, and schools across the country have been forced to shut down amid the unusually early outbreak.

According to Japan’s Ministry of Health, 4,030 flu cases were reported at designated medical institutions during the week beginning September 22, an increase of nearly 1,000 from the previous week, crossing the official epidemic threshold. During the same period, 135 sch

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