As government-funded influenza vaccines are running low, collective school vaccinations would be temporarily suspended, but would be dispatched to elementary schools first when supply is sufficient, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said yesterday.
From Oct. 15 to Sunday, more than 3.42 million flu shots had been administered nationwide, exceeding the 3.04 million shots given in the same period last year, it said.
As two abnormal 0.5ml vaccines were discovered last month — one discolored and the other containing a floating white particle — all vaccines from the two batches were suspended for inspection, causing a temporary supply shortage, CDC Deputy Director-General Chuang Jen-hsiang (莊人祥) said.
“Students who meet the other requirements for government-funded vaccination, such as having rare disease, catastrophic illness or high-risk chronic disease, can bring identification documents to get vaccinated at healthcare facilities during the suspension period,” Chuang said.
There is sufficient supply of 0.25ml vaccines for children between six months and three years old, but about 30,000 fewer shots have been administered this year than in the same period last year, he said, urging parents to vaccinate their children as soon as possible.
The CDC said that 53,260 cases of flu-like illness have been reported this season, as well as two deaths: a 79-year-old man in northern Taiwan and a 98-year-old woman in the south, both of whom had chronic diseases and were infected with the influenza A virus subtype H3N2.
In related news, the CDC said a new type of avian influenza A virus has been reported in China in the past few years, and as winter is the peak season for bird flu, people should be vigilant, especially if have close contact with poultry or other birds.
Although avian flu viruses only occasionally infect humans, people should take preventive measures, Chuang said, urging people to cook poultry and eggs thoroughly, wash their hands often, avoid feeding wild birds or picking up dead birds, and get vaccinated if they are often exposed to live birds.
Taiwan yesterday expelled four China Coast Guard vessels that entered Taiwan-controlled restricted waters off Lienchiang County (Matsu) shortly after the Chinese People’s Liberation Army announced the start of its “Joint Sword-2024B” drills around Taiwan. The Coast Guard Administration (CGA) said in a statement that it had detected two China Coast Guard ships west of Nangan Island (南竿) and another two north of Dongyin Island (東引) at 8am yesterday. After Chinese ships sailed into restricted waters off Matsu shortly afterward, the CGA’s Kinmen-Matsu-Penghu Branch deployed four patrol vessels to shadow and approach the vessels, it said. The incidents pushed up to 44 the number
Renovations on the B3 concourse of Taipei Main Station are to begin on Nov. 1, with travelers advised to use entrances near the Taiwan Railway or high-speed rail platforms or information counter to access the MRT’s Red Line. Construction is to be completed before the end of next year, Taipei Rapid Transit Corp said last week. To reduce the impact on travelers, the NT$95 million (US$2.95 million) project is to be completed in four stages, it said. In the first stage, the hall leading to the Blue Line near the art exhibition area is to be closed from Nov. 1 to the end
Taipei’s Ximending (西門町) shopping area welcomed the most international visitors, followed by Taipei 101, Songshan Cultural and Creative Park and Yangmingshan National Park (陽明山國家公園), a list of the city’s most popular tourist attractions published by the Taipei Department of Information and Tourism showed. As of August, 69.22 million people had visited Taipei’s main tourism spots, a 76 percent increase from 39.33 million in the same period last year, department data showed. Ximending had 20.21 million visitors, followed by Taipei 101 at 8.09 million, Songshan Cultural and Creative Park at 6.28 million, Yangmingshan at 4.51 million and the Red House Theater (西門紅樓) in
The government has issued a deportation order for a Spanish fugitive, ordering him to leave the country within 10 days, as he is wanted by European authorities for allegedly operating a car rental scam. National Immigration Agency (NIA) officials yesterday said Salvador Alejandro Llinas Onate, 48, had been notified that he must leave Taiwan, as he was wanted for committing serious crimes. The Spaniard has been indicted by Italian prosecutors for allegedly leading a 30 million euros (US$32.74 million) car rental scam and setting up a fraudulent company in Trento, Italy. The deportation order is based on Article 18 of
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