COVID-19 pandemic response measures, including border restrictions and mandatory mask usage, have contributed to a decrease in the number of infectious diseases over the past year, Ministry of Health and Welfare statistics showed.
Aside from keeping COVID-19 and influenza cases low, the measures also resulted in no measles and rubella infections, as well as a large drop in cases of pertussis (commonly known as whooping cough), the data showed.
Statistics showed only five cases of pertussis last year, compared with 32 the year before. Cases of mumps also fell from 594 in 2019 to 498 last year.
Photo: Yang Yuan-ting, Taipei Times
The spread of pertussis, a highly contagious respiratory disease that affects children year-round, had apparently been reduced by widespread use of masks, Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Deputy Director-General Chuang Jen-hsiang (莊人祥) said.
Given the highly contagious nature of pertussis, the CDC in past years posted updates on domestic and imported cases on its Web site, including the movement history and activity of those infected — such as what is done with COVID-19 cases, he said.
The drop in measles and rubella cases was likely due to a sharp decline in border traffic, he said.
“Most Taiwanese do not have antibodies to fight measles. The best way to protect against the disease is through immunization,” he said, adding that those interested could take the combined measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine.
“A few years ago when there were measles outbreaks in several countries, we encouraged people traveling to those areas to receive the MMR vaccine first,” he said.
Tuberculosis cases have also been declining annually, dropping from more than 13,000 cases in 2010 to nearly half that, with 7,823 cases last year, he said.
“Preventing the spread of tuberculosis is something we have long been working toward,” he said.
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