The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) yesterday announced this year's first fatal case of hepatitis A. The victim was a 30-year-old man who died four days after he was hospitalized.
So far this year, 82 new cases of hepatitis A have been reported, 47 affecting people under the age of 30.
"We strongly advise young people to pay particular attention to food sanitation when dining out," said CDC Deputy Director Lin Ting (
Lin said the man was sent to a hospital in southern Taiwan on March 11. He was reportedly unconscious by the time he was brought in. The local CDC was notified the next day of his case. The man died of liver and kidney failure on March 14.
Autopsy reports later confirmed the underlying cause of death was hepatitis A, Lin said, urging people, especially those who habitually eat out, to take extra precautionary measures to inspect the cleanliness of food in restaurants.
"In earlier years, hepatitis A was very prevalent in Taiwan. Most people above the age of 50 are carriers. However, the drastic improvement in water and food sanitation efforts by the government has greatly reduced the transmission of the disease," Lin said.
But the high rate of infection this year so far, he said, has become an alarming cause of worry for the government.
Hepatitis A is a liver disease caused by the hepatitis A virus. The symptoms include jaundice, nausea, vomiting, fatigue, loss of appetite, diarrhea, abdominal pain and fever.
It is usually spread from person to person by contact with the stool of a person infected with hepatitis A. According to CDC statistics, only 42 new cases of hepatitis A infection were reported at this time last year. The numbers for the previous four years were 57, 62, 49 and 45.
The sharp increase this year, especially among people under the age of 30, shows that young people are more prone to the disease.
The young people's lack of antibodies and their habit of eating out, coupled with increasing tourism to and from Southeast Asia and China have all contributed to the recent hike, he said.
A hepatitis A vaccine is available in Taiwan. Those who are interested in getting boosters should contact their local health authority. The cost for adults is approximately NT$1,500 to NT$2,000 for each dosage and NT$1,000 for children. People must receive dosages to gain the maximum protection against the infectious disease.
Three batches of banana sauce imported from the Philippines were intercepted at the border after they were found to contain the banned industrial dye Orange G, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said yesterday. From today through Sept. 2 next year, all seasoning sauces from the Philippines are to be subject to the FDA’s strictest border inspection, meaning 100 percent testing for illegal dyes before entry is allowed, it said in a statement. Orange G is an industrial coloring agent that is not permitted for food use in Taiwan or internationally, said Cheng Wei-chih (鄭維智), head of the FDA’s Northern Center for
The Chinese military has built landing bridge ships designed to expand its amphibious options for a potential assault on Taiwan, but their combat effectiveness is limited due to their high vulnerability, a defense expert said in an analysis published on Monday. Shen Ming-shih (沈明室), a research fellow at the Institute for National Defense and Security Research, said that the deployment of such vessels as part of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy’s East Sea Fleet signals a strong focus on Taiwan. However, the ships are highly vulnerable to precision strikes, which means they could be destroyed before they achieve their intended
About 4.2 million tourist arrivals were recorded in the first half of this year, a 10 percent increase from the same period last year, the Tourism Administration said yesterday. The growth continues to be consistent, with the fourth quarter of this year expected to be the peak in Taiwan, the agency said, adding that it plans to promote Taiwan overseas via partnerships and major events. From January to June, 9.14 million international departures were recorded from Taiwan, an 11 percent increase from the same period last year, with 3.3 million headed for Japan, 1.52 million for China and 832,962 to South Korea,
REWRITING HISTORY: China has been advocating a ‘correct’ interpretation of the victory over Japan that brings the CCP’s contributions to the forefront, an expert said An elderly Chinese war veteran’s shin still bears the mark of a bullet wound he sustained when fighting the Japanese as a teenager, a year before the end of World War II. Eighty years on, Li Jinshui’s scar remains as testimony to the bravery of Chinese troops in a conflict that killed millions of their people. However, the story behind China’s overthrow of the brutal Japanese occupation is deeply contested. Historians broadly agree that credit for victory lies primarily with the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT)-led Republic of China (ROC) Army. Its leader, Chiang Kai-shek (蔣介石), fled to Taiwan in 1949 after losing a
RSS