The Department of Health (DOH) confirmed on Monday the first case of whooping cough to be reported this year.
Lin Ting (
His illness was reported as a suspected case of whooping cough when he was admitted to hospital on March 5.
His condition stabilized after treatment.
The patient was not old enough to have been vaccinated and the DOH suspects he was infected by his mother, Lin said.
"The mother had a cough during the Lunar New Year holiday in early February, but the patient's father and six-year-old brother had no similar symptoms," Lin said.
He said whooping cough mostly affects infants in their first year, adding that infants can suffer complications such as pneumonia, which can prove fatal.
Children are required to be given four shots of DPT -- a three-in-one vaccine -- to immunize against diphtheria, whooping cough and tetanus before they reach the age of 18 months, although the DOH still finds about two dozen whooping cough cases every year, Lin said.
"Fortunately, none of these cases have been fatal," he said.
Considering the fact that immunity against whooping cough diminishes between five and 10 years after vaccination, the center has already purchased additional vaccine.
"If everything goes well, first graders in elementary schools will be able to get the additional vaccines as early as September," he said.
The Central Weather Administration (CWA) today issued a "tsunami watch" alert after a magnitude 8.7 earthquake struck off the Kamchatka Peninsula in northeastern Russia earlier in the morning. The quake struck off the east coast of the Kamchatka Peninsula at 7:25am (Taiwan time) at a depth of about 19km, the CWA said, citing figures from the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center. The CWA's Seismological Center said preliminary assessments indicate that a tsunami could reach Taiwan's coastal areas by 1:18pm today. The CWA urged residents along the coast to stay alert and take necessary precautions as waves as high as 1m could hit the southeastern
The National Museum of Taiwan Literature is next month to hold an exhibition in Osaka, Japan, showcasing the rich and unique history of Taiwanese folklore and literature. The exhibition, which is to run from Aug. 10 to Aug. 20 at the city’s Central Public Hall, is part of the “We Taiwan” at Expo 2025 series, highlighting Taiwan’s cultural ties with the international community, National Museum of Taiwan Literature director Chen Ying-fang (陳瑩芳) said. Folklore and literature, among Taiwan’s richest cultural heritages, naturally deserve a central place in the global dialogue, Chen said. Taiwan’s folklore would be immediately apparent at the entrance of the
Speeding and badly maintained roads were the main causes of a school bus accident on a rainy day in Taipei last year that severely injured two people and left 22 with minor injuries, the Taiwan Transportation and Safety Board said. On March 11 last year, a Kang Chiao International School bus overturned inside the Wenshan Tunnel (文山隧道) on the northbound lane of the Xinyi Expressway. The tour bus, owned by Long Lai Co, exceeded the speed limit after entering the tunnel, the board’s investigation found. Sensing that the rear of the vehicle was swaying, the driver attempted to use the service and exhaust
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