Japan's health ministry said it's ready to respond to up to 900,000 coronavirus and influenza patients a day in the event of a double outbreak.

The ministry, earlier, estimated that daily coronavirus cases would reach a peak of 450,000, and the number of people contracting influenza would rise to 300,000 per day.

Japan's health ministry has decided to allow the public to buy antigen test kits that can simultaneously check for coronavirus and seasonal influenza.

The ministry made the decision at an expert panel meeting on Monday.

Japan is looking into allowing the sale of dual take-home tests for the coronavirus and the flu. Officials hope to head off a surge in infections that could once again overwhelm hospitals.

Medical staff are already using the antigen kits. With Japan dealing with the onset of an 8th COVID wave, they say the new tool comes in handy.

Officials in Hiroshima Prefecture, western Japan, are culling about 134,000 chickens after the H5 strain of bird flu was detected at a local farm.

The officials say they found dead chickens at a farm in the city of Mihara on Sunday. They say the dead poultry tested positive for the virus.

Japanese health officials are urging people in all age groups to get influenza shots amid concerns about simultaneous outbreaks of flu and coronavirus infections.

Demand for flu vaccine is expected to surge this winter. The health ministry advised that people aged 65 or older should be given flu shots first from October 1.

NHK has learned that Tokyo officials estimate the number of coronavirus tests needed per day will be 7.5 times current capacity if the flu spreads in the capital.

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government made the estimate at the request of the central government.

Japan's health ministry has decided to give seasonal flu shots to elderly people first, from October 1.

The decision was made on Friday amid concerns over simultaneous outbreaks of influenza and coronavirus infections, which are hard to distinguish.

Even if it doesn't feel like it, winter is coming -- and with it, fears of another wave of the coronavirus on top of the seasonal influenza. Japanese health officials plan to call on elderly people -- who are most prone to becoming seriously ill -- to get a flu vaccine before a potential shortage makes it difficult.

The health ministry estimates flu vaccines will be supplied from October enough to cover about 63 million people -- half of the country's population.

NHK has learned that the Japanese Association for Infectious Diseases has drawn up a set of guidelines on diagnosis of seasonal influenza and COVID-19.

The association compiled the guidelines to advise hospitals and clinics on how to deal with the diseases.

The Japanese government plans to stock up on enough of the anti-flu drug Avigan for two-million people. The drug is now being clinically tested as a treatment for the coronavirus.

The plan is part of a draft emergency economic package, which is expected to be finalized this week.