The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) yesterday urged people to clean up debris and eliminate standing water after typhoons, as the week after a storm is a critical period for dengue fever prevention.
Typhoon Nesat and Tropical Storm Haitang passed over Taiwan, leaving floods and puddles, the centers said that standing water can become breeding sites for mosquitoes.
It urged people to clean up, emptying things that hold standing water such as tires, cans, bottles, tarpaulins and plant holders.
CDC disease monitoring data showed one case of indigenous dengue fever and 148 cases of imported dengue this year, with the majority of imported cases from Vietnam, Malaysia and other Southeast Asian countries.
Outbreaks of dengue in Southeast Asia have been increasing recently, with Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Laos and Cambodia being affected the most. People planning to visit areas where dengue is spreading should take mosquito prevention measures, it said.
In other news, the disease monitoring data showed 90,392 flu-like cases were reported across the nation last week, marking a 15.1 percent decrease from the week before and the fourth consecutive week of reduced numbers.
CDC Deputy Director-General Chuang Jen-hsiang (莊人祥) said that despite the fall in numbers last week, it is still the peak transmission period, which is expected to end on about Aug. 15.
There were 55 cases of serious flu complications and 14 deaths caused by flu complications confirmed last week, the data showed.
The overall number of serious flu complications reported since July 1 last year is 1,249 cases, including 135 deaths, the data showed.
The period of expanded eligibility for government-funded influenza vaccinations has been extended until Aug. 15, Chuang said, urging people who show signs of flu-like symptoms to seek medical attention as soon as possible.
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