The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) yesterday reported a significant drop in the case numbers of several types of infectious diseases in the first half of the year, attributing it in part to more people wearing masks and practicing personal protective measures to prevent COVID-19 infection.
The number of cases of flu-like illness and enterovirus infection reported from May 31 to Saturday last week fell 71.1 percent and 88.2 percent respectively from the same week last year, CDC Epidemic Intelligence Center Director Liu Ting-ping (劉定萍) said.
Taiwan regularly enters the peak season of enterovirus infections in May or June, with weekly reported cases exceeding the epidemic threshold (11,000 hospital visits in a week) in week 22 last year, while there were only 1,360 hospital visits last week (week 23), she said.
Photo: CNA
The number of cases of respiratory infectious diseases also declined significantly, with zero cases of measles or rubella reported so far this year, compared with 100 cases of measles and 17 cases of rubella in the same period last year, Liu said.
The case numbers of invasive pneumococcal disease and pertussis (whooping cough) also dropped 39 percent and 81 percent respectively, she added.
The sharp declines are likely attributable to more people wearing masks and washing their hands frequently, practicing social distancing and other personal protective measures to avoid contracting COVID-19, she said.
Photo: CNA
As for insect-borne diseases, Liu said there were no reports of Japanese encephalitis or domestic dengue fever so far this year, while the case numbers of scrub typhus and imported dengue fever dropped 43 percent and 67 percent respectively from the same period last year.
The reduced numbers might be due to fewer people traveling abroad or taking part in outdoor events, as most local dengue fever outbreaks in Taiwan begin with imported cases, she said.
However, there have been five cases of hantavirus hemorrhagic fever this year, CDC physician Lin Yung-ching (林詠青) said.
As the disease is transmitted to humans by inhaling the particles in the urine, saliva, or droppings of infected rats, mice and other rodents, people should wear a mask and rubber gloves when cleaning spaces and objects contaminated by rodents, and use bleach to disinfect the area, he said.
CDC Deputy Director-General Chuang Jen-hsiang (莊人祥) said that the five cases mark a 20-year high, adding that hantavirus hemorrhagic fever occurs sporadically in Taiwan, and people can avoid contracting it by practicing rodent control and keeping their environment disinfected.
Separately, Chuang said there were no new cases of COVID-19 infections yesterday, and only five infected patients remain isolated in hospitals.
The Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) on Monday said it is planning to ease regulations to make it easier for business travelers to visit Taiwan after border restrictions are relaxed, such as having all foreign visitors take a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test upon arrival.
The center is also considering allowing business travelers to enter Taiwan if they have obtained a negative PCR test result from their point of departure, giving them a shortened home quarantine period of five to 10 days, requiring them to take another self-paid PCR test before being released from quarantine and performing self-help management for 21 days from the date of arrival, said Chuang, who is also a CECC spokesman.
The CECC is considering first easing restrictions for business travelers from countries with a lower risk of COVID-19, such as New Zealand, Australia, Vietnam and Brunei, but more negotiations are needed, he said.
‘NO SECURITY RISK’: The Railway Bureau reassured the public that the technicians’ activities were limited to technical guidance and did not involve sensitive systems The Railway Bureau yesterday said it had invited eight Chinese technicians to assist with an airport MRT construction project. The bureau issued the confirmation after an Internet user said Chinese nationals had entered the construction zone of Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport’s Terminal 3 project. They asked why “individuals from an enemy state” were allowed access to such a major national infrastructure project, which raised serious concerns over Taiwan’s industrial safety, sensitive systems and information security. The bureau’s Northern Region Engineering Branch Office said subcontractor Taiwan Handle Industrial Co (台灣手把工業) of the Taoyuan airport MRT’s “Contract No. CU05 Project A14 Station Civil, MEP &
A signaling system malfunction disrupted high-speed rail (HSR) services beginning at 8am today, with trains temporarily reduced to three northbound and three southbound trains per hour as authorities conduct inspections. The malfunction occurred on a section of track in Miaoli County during pre-operation checks early this morning, forcing northbound and southbound trains to use a single track, the HSR operator said. The regular schedule has been replaced with three hourly trains offering only nonreserved seating in each direction, stopping at every station, it said, adding that business class cars would still have reserved seating. Departures from terminal stations are scheduled at the top
Taiwan is still in the process of assessing the possibility of recruiting workers from Eswatini, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said yesterday, adding that its goal is to help Eswatini upgrade its vocational training centers. If there are plans to recruit workers from Eswatini, safeguarding national security, protecting public health and ensuring the employment rights of Taiwanese would be prerequisites, Department of West Asian and African Affairs Director-General Yen Chia-liang (顏嘉良) told a news conference. Key considerations would also include filling labor shortages in specific industries, and fostering bilateral professional and technical exchanges, he said. Yen was asked about the progress of labor
A US uncrewed surface vessel (USV) encountered multiple Chinese warships during an autonomous transit of the Taiwan Strait, US defense company Seasats said in a statement on Wednesday. Seasats announced that a Lightfish USV had completed the first autonomous transit of the Taiwan Strait. Over five days, the USV traversed the entire length of the Strait while constantly monitoring surface vessel traffic, the company said. The Lightfish encountered multiple Chinese warships, one of which was a Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) Type 056 corvette, it said. The Chinese vessels were operating “well within Taiwan’s exclusive economic zone without transmitting their identity via the
RSS