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Taiwan News Quick Take

■WEATHER

‘Cold’ front expected

With the fall approaching, though the mercury is still high around the country, the Central Weather Bureau said yesterday residents could look forward to the first “cold” front today and tomorrow, with temperatures dropping 5°C in the north. Huang Chuang-hsi (黃樁喜) at the bureau said that although the high was 35°C yesterday in the north and 33°C in central and southern regions, the temperatures would begin to change tomorrow. Those in the north will notice the change today, Huang said, adding that temperatures would not rise again until Wednesday. There is a chance of rain in the north and east and in Kinmen and Matsu, Huang said.



■EDUCATION

Dropouts at new low

The number of school dropouts hit a new low in July, Ministry of Education statistics showed yesterday. The data, published by the Student Affairs Committee, showed that 1,498 students dropped out of school as of the end of July. There has been a dramatic decrease in the number of dropouts compared with the statistics released by the committee over the past three years — from 4,156 to 1,498 students. In most cities and counties, there has been a significant decrease in the number of students who did not return to school after they received counseling from education personnel, the committee said. Kinmen and Matsu have been able to keep all of their students in school over the past two years.



■HEALTH

Virus measures defended

The Department of Health defended its decision to ease the criteria for confirming severe enterovirus cases this year, saying the change would aid epidemic control and prevention. The department made the remarks after a pediatrician said a sharp increase in the number of severe enterovirus cases in contrast to the low death rate this year was mainly the result of the new criteria. Fighting epidemics is like fighting fire, Shih Wen-yi (施文儀), deputy director-general of the Centers for Disease Control, said, adding that timing is a crucial element. Shih said it was necessary to adopt less stringent criteria for labelling severe enterovirus cases. This year, 349 severe enterovirus infections were recorded, accounting for 74 percent of all suspected and confirmed cases. However, only 10 fatalities were documented this year, representing 2.8 percent of the severe cases, a 10-year low. Since the first enterovirus outbreak struck Taiwan in 1998, the death rate has generally ranged from 10 percent to 20 percent.



■CRIME

Police bust drug ring

Police from Nantou County arrested a drug ring in Kaohsiung City on Saturday, seizing 14kg of amphetamine and 5kg of ketamine, with a total street value of more than NT$100 million (US$3.17 million), a police report said. The report said the ring was a joint operation between local and Chinese drug dealers. The Chinese dealers smuggled narcotics from China by boat, while the local smugglers transported the drugs from northern Taiwan to be sold in Kaohsiung, the report said. After a three-month investigation, the police arrested the local ringleader and two buyers in Kaohsiung City on Friday as the men were engaged in a deal. The police also seized NT$7.7 million in cash during the raid. The case has been turned over to the Kaohsiung District Prosecutors Office for an in-depth investigation, the report said.


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