Health authorities are urging travelers to Europe to ensure they get vaccinated for measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) after reports confirmed a spike in outbreaks of the disease in several European countries.
The WHO has reported more than 6,500 cases of measles in 33 countries across Europe, with France hit especially hard. Of the European countries with confirmed measles cases, France accounted for more than 4,900 from January through last month, compared with 5,090 cases for all of last year.
Increasing numbers of measles cases have also been reported in the UK, Germany, Norway, Romania, Russia, Switzerland and the Netherlands.
Health authorities said the rising number of measles infections could be the result of an increasing proportion of children who are not vaccinated against MMR.
Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Deputy Director Chou Chih-hao (周志浩) yesterday strongly urged those who plan to travel to Europe to receive MMR vaccination shots if they have not already done so.
“As of April 22, there have been 19 reported cases of confirmed measles from hospitals across the country, two of which were imported from abroad,” he said.
The two cases involved travelers returning from France and Switzerland, he said, adding that the traveler from Switzerland had also recently been to India and Hong Kong.
Chou said MMR vaccine coverage among Taiwanese was as high as 98 percent because of a successful vaccination program launched in the 1980s, but people born before that could be at risk when traveling to disease-prone areas.
He also urged foreign wives who have not been immunized to get MMR shots before they get pregnant to protect their babies from contracting congenital rubella syndrome, which has complications that include cataracts, deafness and abnormalities of the heart, lung, brain and liver.
The CDC said people who have contracted measles through close contact with measles patients would show symptoms including high fever, coughing, rashes and the appearance of spots on the face.
About 7 percent of children who have measles develop complications such as pneumonia, seizures and encephalitis.
Temperatures in northern Taiwan are forecast to reach as high as 30°C today, as an ongoing northeasterly seasonal wind system weakens, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. CWA forecaster Tseng Chao-cheng (曾昭誠) said yesterday that with the seasonal wind system weakening, warmer easterly winds would boost the temperature today. Daytime temperatures in northern Taiwan and Yilan County are expected to range from 28°C to 30°C today, up about 3°C from yesterday, Tseng said. According to the CWA, temperature highs in central and southern Taiwan could stay stable. However, the weather is expected to turn cooler starting tonight as the northeasterly wind system strengthens again
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) yesterday expressed “grave concerns” after Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong (黃循財) reiterated the city-state’s opposition to “Taiwanese independence” during a meeting with Chinese Premier Li Qiang (李強). In Singapore on Saturday, Wong and Li discussed cross-strait developments, the Singaporean Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement. “Prime Minister Wong reiterated that Singapore has a clear and consistent ‘one China’ policy and is opposed to Taiwan independence,” it said. MOFA responded that it is an objective fact and a common understanding shared by many that the Republic of China (ROC) is an independent, sovereign nation, with world-leading
COOLING OFF: Temperatures are expected to fall to lows of about 20°C on Sunday and possibly 18°C to 19°C next week, following a wave of northeasterly winds on Friday The Central Weather Administration (CWA) on Sunday forecast more rain and cooler temperatures for northern Taiwan this week, with the mercury dropping to lows of 18°C, as another wave of northeasterly winds sweeps across the country. The current northeasterly winds would continue to affect Taiwan through today, with precipitation peaking today, bringing increased rainfall to windward areas, CWA forecaster Liu Pei-teng (劉沛滕) said. The weather system would weaken slightly tomorrow before another, stronger wave arrives on Friday, lasting into next week, Liu said. From yesterday to today, northern Taiwan can expect cool, wet weather, with lows of 22°C to 23°C in most areas,
DEFENDING FREEDOM: Taiwanese love peace and helping others, and hope to be a positive force in the world, Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim told ‘Weltspiegel’ Taiwan is making every effort to prevent war in the face of China’s hybrid coercion tactics and military threats, Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴) said in an interview with German public broadcaster ARD’s program Weltspiegel that aired on Monday. Taiwan is not seeking provocation or intending to disrupt international order, but “must possess the capacity for self-defense,” a news release issued by the Presidential Office yesterday quoted her as saying. Taiwan is closely watching not only the increasing scope and frequency of Chinese military exercises around the nation, but also Beijing’s hybrid and cognitive warfare tactics, including manipulating public opinion, fostering
RSS