With the arrival of colder temperatures and the dengue fever situation stabilizing, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) yesterday said a special epidemic command center set up last month could suspend operations at the end of this week.
The CDC last month established the Central Epidemic Command Center to deal with escalating cases of dengue fever and contain the outbreak, which was spreading in the southern parts of the country.
However, as the number of cases has fallen along with the temperature, the CDC said it was confident the situation was now under control and that the command center could cease operations from Friday, CDC Deputy Director-General Shih Wen-yi (施文儀) said.
The severity of the outbreak was far more serious this year than in previous years, Shih said. Not only was the high incidence of indigenous cases an indicator of the severity of the situation, he said, but the number of people who returned to Taiwan with the disease also reached a new high.
Since August, 1,216 cases of indigenous dengue fever were reported, Shih said.
Of these, 708 were reported in Kaohsiung City, 339 in Tainan City, 98 in Tainan County and 45 in Kaohsiung County.
In the past two weeks, cases of indigenous dengue fever were no longer increasing by the hundreds, as was the case during peak season, Shih said.
More than 2,000 health and environmental officials were mobilized to disinfect and inspect residential areas in the south where disease-carrying mosquitoes were prone to proliferating. The total cost of the operation was NT$38 million (US$1.25 million).
The most serious outbreaks of dengue fever in Taiwan occurred in 2002 — with 5,000 domestic cases — and in 2007, with 2,000 cases.
In related news, the CDC said the seasonal flu vaccine would be available for the public on a first come, first serve basis from Wednesday next week.
Of the almost 3 million flu shots the CDC has purchased this year, about 2.1 million have been administered amid efforts targeting young children and the elderly.
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