The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) yesterday confirmed the ninth indigenous case of dengue fever in Tainan, saying it suspects that the virus might have spread farther, as the latest case involves a person who had not been to areas linked to previous cases.
An 89-year-old man living in the mountainous Ronghe Borough (榮和) of Zuojhen District (左鎮) developed a fever on Wednesday, the centers said.
On Friday, he was taken to a hospital for a scooter-related injury and tested positive in a rapid dengue fever screening before being confirmed to have contracted the disease, the centers said.
Photo provided by the Tainan Public Health Bureau
The man usually stays at home and tends his vegetable garden and he had not traveled abroad or visited areas linked to the eight previous indigenous cases, the CDC said, adding that he visited Shanhua District (善化) on Sunday last week.
Disease prevention personnel would disinfect the man’s home and garden, the centers said, adding that it is investigating where he might have contracted the disease and whether the virus is the same strain as the previous cases.
CDC Deputy Director-General Chuang Jen-hsiang (莊人祥) said a possible source of infection could be someone visiting Zuojhen before the onset of symptoms, or there could be local residents who contracted the disease abroad, but did not show symptoms.
A total of 48 indigenous dengue fever cases had been reported nationwide as of yesterday — 39 in Kaohsiung and nine in Tainan — and there were 209 imported cases, marking the highest number for the period in 10 years, the CDC said.
As heavy rain or showers have been forecast for most of southern Taiwan this week, the centers urged people to remove standing water in containers or drenches in their living environments following rain to eliminate breeding grounds for mosquitoes, and immediately seek medical help if symptoms of fever, headache, pain behind the eyes, rashes, or muscle and joint pain occur.
Dengue fever is a mosquito-borne tropical disease.
Symptoms typically begin three to 14 days after infection.
Taiwan is to commence mass production of the Tien Kung (天弓, “Sky Bow”) III, IV and V missiles by the second quarter of this year if the legislature approves the government’s NT$1.25 trillion (US$39.78 billion) special defense budget, an official said yesterday. Commenting on condition of anonymity, a defense official with knowledge of the matter said that the advanced systems are expected to provide crucial capabilities against ballistic and cruise missiles for the proposed “T-Dome,” an advanced, multi-layered air defense network. The Tien Kung III is an air defense missile with a maximum interception altitude of 35km. The Tien Kung IV and V
The disruption of 941 flights in and out of Taiwan due to China’s large-scale military exercises was no accident, but rather the result of a “quasi-blockade” used to simulate creating the air and sea routes needed for an amphibious landing, a military expert said. The disruptions occurred on Tuesday and lasted about 10 hours as China conducted live-fire drills in the Taiwan Strait. The Civil Aviation Administration (CAA) said the exercises affected 857 international flights and 84 domestic flights, affecting more than 100,000 travelers. Su Tzu-yun (蘇紫雲), a research fellow at the government-sponsored Institute for National Defense and Security Research, said the air
A strong continental cold air mass is to bring pollutants to Taiwan from tomorrow, the Ministry of Environment said today, as it issued an “orange” air quality alert for most of the country. All of Taiwan except for Hualien and Taitung counties is to be under an “orange” air quality alert tomorrow, indicating air quality that is unhealthy for sensitive groups. In China, areas from Shandong to Shanghai have been enveloped in haze since Saturday, the ministry said in a news release. Yesterday, hourly concentrations of PM2.5 in these areas ranged from 65 to 160 micrograms per cubic meter (mg/m³), and pollutants were
Taiwan’s armed forces have established response protocols for a wide range of sudden contingencies, including the “Wan Chun Plan” to protect the head of state, the Ministry of Defense (MND) said today. After US President Donald Trump on Saturday launched a series of airstrikes in Venezuela and kidnapped Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, concerns have been raised as to whether China would launch a similar “decapitation strike” on Taiwan. The armed forces regularly coordinate with relevant agencies and practice drills to ensure preparedness for a wide range of scenarios, Vice Minister of National Defense Hsu Szu-chien (徐斯儉) told reporters before a
RSS