Japan has coughed and spluttered its way through winter this year, with average flu cases at a record high earlier in the season, and other infectious diseases spreading at the same time. In January, medical resources were stretched to the limit — at least one hospital was so overwhelmed with bedridden flu patients that it had to temporarily turn away all but critical cases. In this episode, we hear from an expert about how the coronavirus pandemic has changed seasonal patterns for infectious diseases. And we look at the looming threat posed by genetic mutations in another type of flu — avian influenza.