The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) on Tuesday announced this year’s first case of imported chikungunya fever — involving a 29-year-old Philippine migrant worker living in southern Taiwan — and said that cases of flu-like illness reported across the nation last week totaled 101,364, with 21 serious flu complications and one death being confirmed.
The CDC quarantine station at Kaohsiung International Airport detected that the man had a fever when he arrived on Tuesday last week, the CDC said, adding that he was taken to a hospital for an exam.
Blood test results on Thursday last week showed that he was infected with chikungunya fever, a mosquito-borne viral disease, CDC Deputy Director-General Chuang Jen-hsiang (莊人祥) said, adding that the man, who had been traveling alone, has now recovered.
Since chikungunya fever was placed on the list of notifiable communicable diseases in October 2007, a total of 106 cases have been reported, and all of them were imported from other nations, Chuang said, adding that 91 percent of the cases were from Southeast Asian countries, with the majority having been from Indonesia (57 cases) and the Philippines (24 cases).
People visiting areas with mosquito-borne diseases should take preventive measures against mosquito bites, such as wearing long-sleeved shirts and long pants, using insect repellents approved by the Ministry of Health and Welfare, and using mosquito nets or window screens, the CDC said.
During cold weather, people should keep warm and practice good personal hygiene, especially washing their hands frequently, covering their mouth when sneezing or coughing, and wearing a mask to prevent the spread of infection, the CDC said.
Relenza and Tamiflu — the two types of government-funded antiviral medicine — can be used to treat type A and type B influenza, so people should seek treatment at one of the more than 4,000 medical facilities with the medicines, the CDC said.
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,
Taiwan sweltered through its hottest October on record, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday, the latest in a string of global temperature records. The main island endured its highest average temperature since 1950, CWA forecaster Liu Pei-teng said. Temperatures the world over have soared in recent years as human-induced climate change contributes to ever more erratic weather patterns. Taiwan’s average temperature was 27.381°C as of Thursday, Liu said. Liu said the average could slip 0.1°C by the end of yesterday, but it would still be higher than the previous record of 27.009°C in 2016. "The temperature only started lowering around Oct. 18 or 19
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