Officials from the Kaohsiung City Department of Health warned the public yesterday to remain on guard against enterovirus even during the winter -- a time when the highly contagious virus is usually less prevalent.
The officials urged the public to improve personal hygiene and wash their hands often to keep enterovirus away all year round.
They made the call in the wake of a report of a death from enterovirus type 71 (E71) infection in Kaohsiung on Dec. 27.
The case was confirmed as the sixth E71 infection in Taiwan in 2007, and the only one resulting in death.
The case involved an 18-month-old boy who came down with a fever, vomiting and hand-foot-and-mouth syndrome on Dec. 24 and was hospitalized on Dec. 26 after developing other symptoms, including twitching and a rash. The child died the next day of pulmonary edema and respiratory failure -- complications caused by the infection, said Chang Hung-tai (張宏泰), emergency room director at Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital.
The deceased child's four-year-old older sister also came down with a fever, vomiting and hand-foot-and-mouth syndrome on Dec. 26, Chang said. After she was hospitalized in intensive care on Dec. 27, her condition stabilized, he said.
Enteroviruses are the most common cause of aseptic meningitis and can be serious, especially in infants.
An E71 outbreak in 2005 infected 145 children and killed 15.
Palauan President Surangel Whipps Jr arrived in Taiwan last night to kick off his first visit to the country since beginning his second term earlier this year. After arriving at Taoyuan International Airport at around 6:30 pm, Whipps and his delegation were welcomed by Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍). Speaking to gathered media, the Palauan leader said he was excited and honored to be back in Taiwan on his first state visit to Taiwan since he was sworn in this January. Among those traveling with Whipps is Minister of State Gustav N. Aitaro, Public Infrastructure
President William Lai (賴清德) yesterday thanked Palau for its continued support of Taiwan's international participation, as Taipei was once again excluded from the World Health Assembly (WHA) currently taking place in Switzerland. "Palau has never stopped voicing support for Taiwan" in the UN General Assembly, the WHO and other UN-affiliated agencies, Lai said during a bilateral meeting with visiting Palau President Surangel Whipps Jr. "We have been profoundly touched by these endorsements," Lai said, praising the Pacific island nation's firm support as "courageous." Lai's remarks came as Taiwan was excluded for the ninth consecutive year from the WHA, which is being held in
RESOLUTIONS DEBATE: Taiwan’s allies said that UN and WHA resolutions cited by China and other nations ‘do not determine Taiwan’s participation in WHO activities’ A proposal to invite Taiwan to this year’s World Health Assembly (WHA) was rejected on Monday, resulting in Taipei’s absence from the annual meeting for a ninth consecutive year, although partners spoke up for Taiwan’s participation at the first day of the meeting. The first agenda item after the opening was a “two-on-two debate” on a proposal to invite Taiwan to participate at the WHA as an observer. Similar to previous years, two countries made statements in favor of the proposal, while two others expressed their opposition. Philippine Secretary of Health Teodoro Herbosa, president of the 78th WHA, accepted the WHA General Committee’s
At least three people died and more than a dozen were injured yesterday afternoon when a vehicle struck a group of pedestrians in New Taipei City’s Sansia District (三峽). The incident happened at about 4pm when a car rammed into pedestrians at an intersection near Bei Da Elementary School. Witnesses said the sedan, being driven at a high speed, ran a red light, knocking scooters out of the way and hitting students crossing the road before careening into a median near the intersection of Guocheng and Guoguang streets. The incident resulted in three deaths and 13 injuries, including the driver, a 78-year-old man
RSS