The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) yesterday reported this year’s first case of indigenous dengue fever. It also said that Japanese encephalitis season is in its peak period, urging people to take protective measures against mosquito and other insect bites.
CDC Epidemic Intelligence Center Deputy Director Guo Hung-wei (郭宏偉) said that the patient is in his 30s and lives in Taoyuan District’s (桃園) Yushan Borough (玉山).
The man on Wednesday last week and on Sunday sought medical help for a fever and skin rashes.
He tested positive in a NS1 antigen rapid diagnostic test and was reported to the CDC on Monday, Guo said, adding that the man was yesterday confirmed to have serotype 1 dengue.
The man has been hospitalized, Guo said, adding that the people who live with him have not shown any symptoms.
CDC Deputy Director-General Chuang Jen-hsiang (莊人祥) said the man did not visit other nations recently and mostly stayed in Taoyuan and near his home, but visited Taipei’s Zhongshan District (中山) for business.
As Taoyuan is close to Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport, the CDC suspects there might be unapparent dengue infections in the community where the man lives, so the local health department is investigating the source of infection, he said.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and tightened border controls, only 56 cases of imported dengue fever have been reported so far this year, the lowest for the period in the past five years, Guo said.
Most of the cases were reported between January and March, and were mostly imported from South Asian countries, he said.
The CDC also reported three new cases of Japanese encephalitis diagnosed last week: a man in his 60s living in Taoyuan’s Jhongli District (中壢), a woman in her 30s living in New Taipei City’s Sinjhuang District (新莊) and a man in his 50s living in Taichung’s Wuci District (梧棲).
Guo said the patients began experiencing symptoms, including a fever, dizziness, a headache and reduced levels of consciousness, between June 28 and July 8.
CDC physician Lin Yung-ching (林詠青) said the patients in Taoyuan and Taichung live near rice paddy fields or pigeon farms, and probably contracted the virus near their homes.
The patient in New Taipei City had visited Yilan County on June 27 and 28, and the local health department is investigating the source of infection, he added.
Sixteen cases of Japanese encephalitis have been reported so far this year: four in Taoyuan, two each in New Taipei City, Taichung and Kaohsiung as well as Changhua and Pingtung counties; and one each in Chiayi County and Tainan, CDC data showed.
Lin said the best way to prevent Japanese encephalitis is to get vaccinated and urged parents to have their children over 15 months old vaccinated.
The CDC also said 60 cases of scrub typhus were reported from June 21 to Saturday, with most of the cases reported in Taitung County (23 cases), Hualien County (11 cases) and Kinmen County (8 cases).
Lin said scrub typhus is transmitted to humans by a species of trombiculid mites, or chiggers, which are usually found in meadows, forests, shrubs or places wild rodents inhabit.
Symptoms include persistent high fever, a headache, swollen lymph nodes, and red lesions or sores on the skin, which might occur nine to 12 days after the patient has been bitten.
As the Japanese encephalitis season is in its peak period and summer is usually the peak period for scrub typhus, people should take personal protective measures against mosquito and insect bites, and should report their recent outdoor activities if they seek medical attention for symptoms, Lin said.
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