Taiwan’s first domestic measles case of the year has been confirmed and more than 500 contacts are being monitored until March 17, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said yesterday.
An eight-month-old infant fell ill after returning from Vietnam at the end of last month and was later diagnosed with measles, as announced on Feb. 12, the CDC said.
A man in his 40s from northern Taiwan developed symptoms 13 days after contact with the infant and was confirmed to have measles, it said.
Photo: Lin Chih-yi, Taipei Times
Local health authorities traced 526 people the man was in contact with during his contagious period, including five family members who live with him, the CDC said.
Anyone who has had contact with a confirmed case should monitor their health and take protective measures, CDC Deputy Director-General Lin Min-cheng (林明誠) said.
Early symptoms of measles resemble a common cold, including a cough, runny nose and fever, followed by a red rash, which typically appears about two weeks after infection.
The virus could spread through the air, respiratory droplets or direct contact with respiratory secretions four days before and after the rash appears, the CDC said.
People who develop symptoms should wear a mask and contact local medical authorities to arrange for care, rather than ignoring their condition or seeking medical help independently, Lin said.
Those who do not follow proper self-monitoring regulations could face a fine of NT$60,000 to NT$300,000 under to the Communicable Disease Control Act (傳染病防治法), he said.
Doctors should remain vigilant and ask patients about their travel, work and contact history to accurately diagnose cases and trace contacts, he added.
As of Thursday, there had been three cases of measles in Taiwan this year, including the infant and the man in his 40s, the CDC said, adding that the third person contracted the disease in Malaysia.
Measles outbreaks continue globally, with India, Indonesia, Singapore and Vietnam reporting cases since last year, the CDC said.
Japan has reported 43 measles cases so far this year, the highest figure over same period in nearly seven years, with the most cases reported in Tokyo and Osaka, it said.
In related news, the CDC on Thursday reminded doctors to be aware of dengue fever risks, as a man in northern Taiwan was diagnosed with the disease after visiting hospitals three times.
The man, who is in his 50s, traveled to the Maldives at the end of last month and developed a fever, muscle aches, joint pain and a rash after returning to Taiwan, Lin said.
He visited two different hospitals on Monday, Thursday and Friday last week, and was diagnosed with dengue fever on the third visit, he said.
If doctors had properly checked the patient’s travel, contact and work histories, they would have normally performed a dengue NS1 rapid test, he said.
The CDC issued a notice to doctors reminding them that increased travel over the Lunar New Year holiday means higher risk of imported diseases such as dengue, he added.
There had been 19 cases of dengue fever as of Wednesday, lower than the same period in 2024 and last year, the CDC said.
Among the imported cases, Indonesia accounts for the most with six cases, followed by the Philippines, Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, India and the Maldives, it said.
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