In preparation against a possible biological attack on Taiwan, the Department of Health and the Ministry of National Defense, both under the Executive Yuan, set up a inter-departmental emergency task force center yesterday.
The health department yesterday finished drafting guidelines known as "Principles for health departments and medical organizations to handle a large number of patients," to help hospitals and doctors better prepare for a biological attack occurs. The health department chose specific hospitals in Taiwan's northern, central, southern and eastern areas to serve as regional emergency centers. These hospitals will be required to follow the new guidelines in the event of an attack.
Lee Ming-liang (
Lee said that the department had asked medical associations around Taiwan to pay particular attention to people showing symptoms of smallpox, anthrax and botulism, and immediately report such cases to the department.
According to Lee, Taiwan has one million doses of the smallpox vaccine. Citizens over 25 years old have immunity, since vaccination was compulsory in Taiwan before 1979.
Anthrax is easily treated in its early phase. It initially causes flu-like symptoms and then severe chest congestion. Lee said that only the US has vaccines for anthrax. The US Defense Department ordered that all military personnel be vaccinated against the disease in case of possible use of the agent by Iraq.
Lee, however, said that it was too late to purchase the vaccine from the US, since the inoculation process requires the injection of six doses of the vaccine over an 18-month period.
Botulism can be treated with an anti-toxin, but this is usually of little effect once symptoms present themselves.
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