The number of enterovirus infection cases reported last week increased 13.8 percent to 10,427, nearing the epidemic threshold of 11,000, Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Epidemic Intelligence Center Director Liu Ting-ping (劉定萍) said yesterday.
The number has increased for two consecutive weeks, she said, adding that the rate was higher in central, northern and eastern Taiwan.
There were no cases of serious complications or deaths associated with the disease in the past two weeks, but 32 serious enterovirus-related complications have been reported this year, she said.
Photo: CNA
The two peak periods for enterovirus infection are usually between spring and summer, and when school begins in autumn, CDC Deputy Director-General Chuang Jen-hsiang (莊人祥) said.
Fewer cases during the peak periods this year and slightly higher temperatures over the past two weeks might explain last week’s increase, he said.
The most commonly circulating viruses in the first period this year were echovirus 11 and enterovirus 71, but the most common virus detected in the past four weeks are of the coxsackie A strain, Chuang said.
While fewer cases are expected as temperatures drop, the CDC urged parents and people who work with small children to wash their hands frequently and to change clothing before approaching young children, especially after visiting crowded places.
If infants or young children begin to exhibit signs of serious complications — sleepiness, disturbed consciousness, low activity, weakness or numbness in the limbs, involuntary muscle jerks, continuous vomiting, shortness of breath or rapid heartbeat — they should be taken to a hospital for immediate treatment, the CDC said.
Meanwhile, 54,673 cases of flu-like illness were reported last week, slightly higher than the week before, while more than 3.91 million doses of the flu vaccine had been administered as of Sunday, exceeding the approximately 3.75 million doses given during the same period last year, the CDC said.
However, the vaccination rate for children under three years old is relatively low, the CDC said, urging parents to have their children vaccinated as soon as possible.
Trips for more than 100,000 international and domestic air travelers could be disrupted as China launches a military exercise around Taiwan today, Taiwan’s Civil Aviation Administration (CAA) said yesterday. The exercise could affect nearly 900 flights scheduled to enter the Taipei Flight Information Region (FIR) during the exercise window, it added. A notice issued by the Chinese Civil Aviation Administration showed there would be seven temporary zones around the Taiwan Strait which would be used for live-fire exercises, lasting from 8am to 6pm today. All aircraft are prohibited from entering during exercise, it says. Taipei FIR has 14 international air routes and
Taiwan lacks effective and cost-efficient armaments to intercept rockets, making the planned “T-Dome” interception system necessary, two experts said on Tuesday. The concerns were raised after China’s military fired two waves of rockets during live-fire drills around Taiwan on Tuesday, part of two-day exercises code-named “Justice Mission 2025.” The first wave involved 17 rockets launched at 9am from Pingtan in China’s Fujian Province, according to Lieutenant General Hsieh Jih-sheng (謝日升) of the Office of the Deputy Chief of the General Staff for Intelligence at the Ministry of National Defense. Those rockets landed 70 nautical miles (129.6km) northeast of Keelung without flying over Taiwan,
City buses in Taipei and New Taipei City, as well as the Taipei MRT, would on Saturday begin accepting QR code payments from five electronic payment providers, the Taipei Department of Transportation said yesterday. The new option would allow passengers to use the “transportation QR code” feature from EasyWallet, iPass Money, iCash Pay, Jkopay or PXPay Plus. Passengers should open their preferred electronic payment app, select the “transportation code” — not the regular payment code — unlock it, and scan the code at ticket readers or gates, General Planning Division Director-General Liu Kuo-chu (劉國著) said. People should move through the
The Ministry of National Defense (MND) today released images of the military tracking China’s People's Liberation Army (PLA) movements during the latest round of Chinese drills around Taiwan. The PLA began "Justice Mission 2025" drills today, carrying out live-fire drills, simulated strikes on land and maritime targets, and exercises to blockade the nation's main ports. The exercises are to continue tomorrow, with the PLA announcing sea and air space restrictions for five zones around Taiwan for 10 hours starting from 8:30am. The ministry today released images showing a Chinese J-16 fighter jet tracked by a F-16V Block 20 jet and the
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