The Department of Health (DOH) yesterday reported its first imported case of tularemia since 2007.
The patient, a 67-year-old US citizen from San Francisco, California, showed symptoms of fever before flying to Taiwan on June 26.
The man was confirmed to have the disease on Monday after being admitted to a Taipei hospital for fever, pneumonia and a build-up of fluid in his lungs, Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Deputy Director Shih Wen-yi (施文儀) said in a press release. However, he was expected to be released from the hospital soon.
The CDC said tularemia is a zoonotic disease, meaning it is transmitted from -animals to humans and cannot be transmitted from human to human. The disease is caused by the bacterium Francisella tularensis, which is found in various types of fowl, fish, rodents and mammals, which can be spread through bites, inhalation, or direct contact.
There have been reported cases of the zoonosis in North America, Europe, China, Japan, and the former Soviet bloc. Shih warned people traveling to disease-prone areas to avoid touching animals and eating raw, uncooked meat.
The CDC also reported that imported dengue fever is on the rise. A total of 49 people have been infected, most of whom have been to Southeast Asian countries such as Vietnam, Indonesia and Thailand.
Taipei has once again made it to the top 100 in Oxford Economics’ Global Cities Index 2025 report, moving up five places from last year to 60. The annual index, which was published last month, evaluated 1,000 of the most populated metropolises based on five indices — economics, human capital, quality of life, environment and governance. New York maintained its top spot this year, placing first in the economics index thanks to the strength of its vibrant financial industry and economic stability. Taipei ranked 263rd in economics, 44th in human capital, 15th in quality of life, 284th for environment and 75th in governance,
The Sports Administration yesterday demanded an apology from the national table tennis association for barring 17-year-old Yeh Yi-tian (葉伊恬) from competing in the upcoming World Table Tennis (WTT) United States Smash tournament in Las Vegas this July. The sports agency said in a statement that the Chinese Taipei Table Tennis Association (CTTTA) must explain to the public why it withdrew Yeh from the WTT tournament in Las Vegas. The sports agency said it contacted the association to express its disapproval of the decision-making process after receiving a complaint from Yeh’s coach, Chuang
Control Yuan Secretary-General Lee Chun-yi (李俊俋) tendered his resignation last night, admitting that he had misused a government vehicle, as reported by media. His resignation was immediately accepted by the Control Yuan. In a statement explaining why he had resigned, Lee apologized for using a Control Yuan vehicle to transport his dog to a pet grooming salon on May 20. The issue first came to light late last month, when TVBS News reported that Lee had instructed his driver to take the dog to the salon. The news channel broadcast photos that it said were taken by an unnamed whistle-blower, which purportedly showed the
Democratic Progressive Party caucus chief executive Rosalia Wu, front, grabs the pennant in a dragon boat race hosted by Qu Yuan Temple in the Shuanghsi River in Taipei’s Beitou District yesterday.
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