The number of A(H1N1) influenza infections in Taiwan has been rising in recent few weeks, but the situation is not expected to escalate into a full outbreak, health experts said.
Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Deputy Director-General Lin Ting (林頂) said yesterday that 43 percent of flu cases reported in the past three months were caused by the A(H1N1) virus, 33 percent by the A/H3 virus and 23 percent by the influenza B virus.
The ratios have changed, he noted, saying that in the past, 80 percent of flu infections in the country were caused by the A/H3 virus.
The CDC thinks the shift is not a big problem, but is worried that pre-school children could be hit by the current wave of A(H1N1) as less than half have been inoculated against the virus since a national A(H1N1) vaccination program was launched in October, Lin said.
Pediatrician Chen Chih-jung (陳志榮) at Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital said he does not expect a major outbreak of H1N1 infections this year.
More than 800 people in Taiwan were hospitalized with A(H1N1) symptoms last year of whom 35 died.
Since then, about a third of the population has acquired immunity to the A(H1N1) flu virus, either through vaccination or infection, Chen said.
Meanwhile, in other news, according to a report by the Philips Center for Health and Well-being, Taiwan is among the developed nations of the world that rank lowest in health and well-being.
The report, which analyzed the responses of more than 31,000 people in 23 countries, showed only 24 percent of people in Taiwan had a positive view of their well-being and state of health, compared with the global average of 62 percent.
According to the report, financial concerns are key stress factors for Taiwanese, as they are constantly worried about whether they have enough money to pay bills and save for the future.
As a result, Taiwanese have the second highest level of stress among the 23 countries surveyed, the survey found.
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