TOKYO, July 24 (Xinhua) -- Japan's tally of A/H1N1 flu cases infections has exceeded 5,000, said the Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry on Friday.

    According to the ministry, there have been no serious cases reported since the first infections in Japan were confirmed in May, except for one case each of flu-linked encephalopathy in Kanagawa Prefecture and in Tochigi Prefecture.

    On May 9, three Osaka males were confirmed to be infected with the new A/H1N1 flu and they became the first confirmed cases of the new strain of influenza in Japan. And the number of the new-flu infections has been on the rise ever since.

    On July 16, the World Health Organization (WHO) said that it would stop tracking A/H1N1 cases as the pandemic was the fastest growing ever and it was pointless to count each case.

    But the WHO called on countries to continue to report clusters of severe cases or deaths caused by the new virus or unusual clinical patterns.

Special Report:  World Tackles A/H1N1 Flu