The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) yesterday said that a surge in respiratory illnesses in China has been caused by at least seven types of pathogens, and small children, elderly people and immunocompromised people should temporarily avoid unnecessary visits to China.
The recent outbreak of respiratory illnesses in China is mainly in the north and among children, CDC Deputy Director-General Philip Lo (羅一鈞) said on Monday.
Data released by the Chinese National Health Commission on Sunday showed that among children aged one to four, the main pathogens were influenza viruses and rhinoviruses, while among children aged five to 14, the main pathogens were flu viruses, Mycoplasma pneumoniae bacteria and adenoviruses, Lo said.
Photo: Lin Hui-chin, Taipei Times
It also showed that among people aged 15 to 59, the main pathogens were flu viruses, rhinoviruses and SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19), while among people aged 60 or older, the main pathogens were flu viruses, human metapneumoviruses and coronaviruses, he said.
“As temperatures continue to drop, respiratory illnesses in China are expected to continue to increase. The CDC will closely monitor the surge and data released by China to draft disease prevention measures for the Lunar New Year holiday,” Lo said.
As the surge has put a strain on healthcare services in China and making an outpatient appointments could be more difficult, the CDC recommends that young children, elderly people and those with compromised immune systems avoid unnecessary travel to China, Lo said.
If they must visit China, the CDC suggests that they get flu and COVID-19 vaccines before traveling, maintain proper hygiene, wear a mask and wash their hands frequently, he added.
Asked if the surge in China has affected Taiwan, Lo said the weekly reported numbers for flu-like illnesses in Taiwan have dropped for seven consecutive weeks.
Of the identified respiratory viruses in Taiwan in the past four weeks, the most common were flu viruses (32 percent), followed by adenoviruses (26 percent) and parainfluenza viruses (14 percent), he said.
Mycoplasma pneumoniae, which people are worried about, is not a virus, and data from a medical center shows that it accounted for less than 1 percent of the respiratory illnesses identified at hospital, he said.
However, Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection usually causes milder symptoms than the flu, so people might visit clinics for treatment, he said, adding that, in general, an upsurge in respiratory illnesses has not been observed in Taiwan.
Taiwan would welcome the return of Honduras as a diplomatic ally if its next president decides to make such a move, Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) said yesterday. “Of course, we would welcome Honduras if they want to restore diplomatic ties with Taiwan after their elections,” Lin said at a meeting of the legislature’s Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee, when asked to comment on statements made by two of the three Honduran presidential candidates during the presidential campaign in the Central American country. Taiwan is paying close attention to the region as a whole in the wake of a
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫), spokeswoman Yang Chih-yu (楊智伃) and Legislator Hsieh Lung-chieh (謝龍介) would be summoned by police for questioning for leading an illegal assembly on Thursday evening last week, Minister of the Interior Liu Shyh-fang (劉世芳) said today. The three KMT officials led an assembly outside the Taipei City Prosecutors’ Office, a restricted area where public assembly is not allowed, protesting the questioning of several KMT staff and searches of KMT headquarters and offices in a recall petition forgery case. Chu, Yang and Hsieh are all suspected of contravening the Assembly and Parade Act (集會遊行法) by holding
PRAISE: Japanese visitor Takashi Kubota said the Taiwanese temple architecture images showcased in the AI Art Gallery were the most impressive displays he saw Taiwan does not have an official pavilion at the World Expo in Osaka, Japan, because of its diplomatic predicament, but the government-backed Tech World pavilion is drawing interest with its unique recreations of works by Taiwanese artists. The pavilion features an artificial intelligence (AI)-based art gallery showcasing works of famous Taiwanese artists from the Japanese colonial period using innovative technologies. Among its main simulated displays are Eastern gouache paintings by Chen Chin (陳進), Lin Yu-shan (林玉山) and Kuo Hsueh-hu (郭雪湖), who were the three young Taiwanese painters selected for the East Asian Painting exhibition in 1927. Gouache is a water-based
President William Lai (賴清德) has appointed former vice president Chen Chien-jen (陳建仁) to attend the late Pope Francis’ funeral at the Vatican City on Saturday on his behalf, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said today. The Holy See announced Francis’ funeral would take place on Saturday at 10am in St Peter’s Square. The ministry expressed condolences over Francis’ passing and said that Chen would represent Taiwan at the funeral and offer condolences in person. Taiwan and the Vatican have a long-standing and close diplomatic relationship, the ministry said. Both sides agreed to have Chen represent Taiwan at the funeral, given his Catholic identity and
RSS