The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) yesterday reported a new indigenous case of dengue fever in Taoyuan, which is likely to be linked to a cluster of infections in the city.
The new confirmed case is a woman in her 40s, who has not visited other countries recently and lives in Longhua Borough (龍華) of Taoyuan’s Gueishan District (龜山), the CDC said.
The woman showed symptoms, including fever and rashes that spread from her palms to her stomach and limbs, from Oct. 15 to Oct. 20, it said.
The Taoyuan Department of Public Health said that the woman sought medical treatment at a clinic on Oct. 15, 17 and 19, and at a hospital on Oct. 20.
Her case was reported as suspected measles, the department said.
CDC Deputy Director-General Chuang Jen-hsiang (莊人祥) said that the woman tested negative for measles and as a case of dengue was confirmed in a nearby borough of Gueishan this month, a dengue test was arranged, which came back positive for the immunoglobulin M and G antibodies.
She mostly stayed close to her home in Gueishan, so the CDC’s preliminary judgement is that the case is linked to a previously reported case, while the department is investigating possible sources of infection, Chuang said.
The department has visited the surrounding area to investigate the environment, remove vector-breeding sites and apply chemical controls, and would monitor the community until Nov. 26, Chuang said.
Seventy cases of indigenous dengue fever have been reported in Taiwan this year, with 48 cases in New Taipei City, including 37 in Sansia District (三峽), three each in Lujhou (蘆洲) and Linkou (林口) districts, two in Tucheng District (土城) and one each in Banciao (板橋), Shulin (樹林) and Jhonghe (中和) districts, the CDC said.
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