Clinical and emergency department visits to treat diarrhea have increased in the past few weeks, and the number usually peaks near the Mid-Autumn Festival, so people should maintain good hygiene during the holidays, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said yesterday.
CDC Epidemic Intelligence Center Deputy Director Guo Hung-wei (郭宏偉) said that 113,361 clinics and emergency department visits for diarrhea were reported from Sept. 20 to Saturday last week, and the weekly reported number has been increasing in the past few weeks.
“Reports of clustered cases of diarrhea have also slightly increased recently, with the majority caused by norovirus infection, and a few cases caused by bacterial pathogens,” Guo said.
Fifty-eight clustered cases have been reported in the past four weeks, which is higher than the same period in the past two years, and among 24 clusters that tested positive for viral or bacterial pathogens, 19 clusters involving 393 people were caused mainly by norovirus infection, he said.
Among the 58 clusters, most were in New Taipei City (10), Kaohsiung (nine), Taichung (eight), Taipei (seven) and Changhua County (five), the CDC said.
CDC physician Lin Yung-ching (林詠青) said that with Taiwanese enjoying barbecues with family and friends over the Mid-Autumn Festival weekend, the number of diarrhea cases reported in the period have increased in the past few years.
The cause can be viral or bacterial pathogens transmitted through contaminated food or water, but sometimes it can be transmitted through close contact with an infected patient, such as exposure to vomit or feces, or even inhaling droplets from the vomit of a person with norovirus, Lin said.
Common symptoms of viral and bacterial gastroenteritis are vomiting and diarrhea, while some people also develop a fever, abdominal pain, nausea or general weakness, he said.
While the symptoms of norovirus infection are more like a seasonal flu, including general muscle pains, symptoms of bacterial gastroenteritis include blood in the stool, he said, adding that people usually recover from a norovirus infection in two to three days, but bacterial gastroenteritis can last up to 10 days, depending on the person’s age, immune system and food intake.
If people have a fever, diarrhea, abdominal pain or are vomiting for two to three days without improvement leading to dehydration, they should seek medical attention immediately, Lin said.
People should prepare fresh food and keep it refrigerated before cooking, handle raw and cooked food separately, and cook food thoroughly until the internal temperature surpasses 70°C, while those who handle food should wash their hands with soap frequently, he said.
People who have symptoms of gastroenteritis should rest at home, avoid preparing food, drink more water and maintain a balanced electrolyte and nutrition intake, he said, adding that if they have to go out, they should wear a mask and wash their hands frequently.
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