The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) yesterday confirmed that a local health department’s HIV contact tracing found five people associated with suspected cases of sexual abuse by a school bus driver.
An HIV-infected school bus driver had allegedly been sexually assaulting female students since 2022, under the guise that they needed to “replenish their vital energy,” a local Chinese-language media outlet reported.
There are nine female adult and minor victims, including five who contracted HIV and one who was sexually assaulted 16 times over three years, the report said, adding that the prosecutor has pressed charges against the man for 32 suspected crimes.
Photo: Taipei Times
CDC Deputy Director-General and spokeswoman Tseng Shu-hui (曾淑慧) said the alleged crime was not discovered by police or prosecutors, but by a local health department during a contact tracing of HIV-infected cases.
The CDC late last year received a report from the department regarding confirmed HIV cases, she said.
The department conducted contact tracing to find the source of infections and to prevent further spread of the disease, and found that multiple cases had contact with the same person, which they reported to the police, Tseng said.
After the local social affairs department, police and prosecutors investigated the HIV cases, they found that five of the infected people were associated with the alleged criminal case, she added.
Current evidence cannot fully verify if the five women were infected by the bus driver, but epidemiologically speaking, they are highly correlated, Tseng said.
During the investigation, the Ministry of Health and Welfare established a working group to assist and provide medical and intervention support services, she said.
There are 221 designated healthcare facilities across the nation that provide HIV and AIDS treatment, and individual case management services, she added.
As HIV cannot be completely cured, those who are diagnosed with the disease require lifelong medication and follow-ups, Tseng said, adding that with consistent treatment, most people can maintain good health.
The CDC yesterday reminded the public that sexually transmitted infections can be spread through vaginal, oral or anal sex, and to use condoms and water-based lubricants to reduce the risk of infection when engaging in sexual activity.
People can also use the anonymous testing, self-testing and sexual health-friendly outpatient services at health departments and designated hospitals for early detection and medical intervention, it said.
The CDC reminded the public to respect the privacy of people with infectious diseases and said that disclosure of a person’s infectious disease status without consent could result in a maximum fine of NT$450,000.
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