The Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) yesterday reported 46,795 local COVID-19 cases, the highest caseload in 83 days, while the number of daily prescribed antivirals for treating the disease was the highest in 78 days.
Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Deputy Director-General Chuang Jen-hsiang (莊人祥), the CECC’s spokesman, said 46,795 new local infections, 256 imported cases and 17 deaths were confirmed yesterday.
The local caseload is the highest since June 23 and an increase of 28.6 percent compared with Tuesday last week, but the spike might also be partially caused by people waiting to seek medical treatment until after the Mid-Autumn Festival long weekend, Chuang said.
Photo: Chen En-hui, Taipei Times
The most cases were reported in New Taipei City, with 9,618, followed by Taichung with 6,081, Taipei with 5,619, Taoyuan with 4,519, Kaohsiung with 3,928, Tainan with 3,028, Changhua County with 2,217, Hsinchu County with 1,329, Pingtung County with 1,304, Yunlin County with 1,157, Miaoli County with 1,156, Yilan County with 1,059, and 10 other administrative regions with fewer than 1,000 cases each.
CDC Deputy Director-General Philip Lo (羅一鈞), deputy head of the CECC’s medical response division, said the 17 people who died were aged 50 or older and had chronic diseases.
Twelve people among them had not had a COVID-19 booster shot, Lo said.
The number of oral antivirals prescribed on Monday to treat COVID-19 increased to 8,816 courses — 6,853 of Paxlovid and 1,963 of molnupiravir, he said, adding that it is the highest daily number since June 27.
There were 14,427 reported cases of reinfection as of Monday, he said, adding that people who are diagnosed as being reinfected can receive prescription antiviral drugs or a traditional herbal formula known as Taiwan Chingguan Yihau, or NRICM101, if they meet the prescription criteria, Lo said.
The antiviral drugs and the formula should not be taken at the same time to avoid unwanted interactions between them, he said.
The two definitions of COVID-19 reinfection are “testing positive with an antigen test, a rapid nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT), or a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test with a cycle threshold (Ct) value lower than 27, and an onset of worsened symptoms within one to three months since the previous onset or testing date of COVID-19 infection” and “testing positive with an antigen test, a NAAT or a PCR test with a Ct value lower than 30, asymptomatic or symptomatic, at least three months after previous onset or testing date of the COVID-19 infection,” he said.
The meaning of “worsened symptoms” includes the onset of new symptoms, such as a fever or respiratory symptoms; worsening of chronic conditions; or being asymptomatic in the previous infection and subsequently having symptoms, he said.
If a previously infected person has new or worse symptoms, and tests positive again with a rapid test kit, they can seek medical attention through telemedicine or an in-person clinical visit, and be diagnosed and reported as a reinfection case by a doctor, he said.
The doctor can also prescribe oral antivirals or other drugs, so people should not rush to a hospital to get a PCR test if they suspect themselves to be reinfected, Lo said, adding that the procedure of receiving a home isolation notice is the same as for a first infection.
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