Three new cases of melioidosis were reported last week and four cases of leptospirosis have been reported since Typhoon Danas hit Taiwan early last month, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said yesterday, as it also raised the travel notice to level 2 for chikungunya in China.
CDC Epidemic Intelligence Center Director Guo Hung-wei (郭宏偉) said that the three people diagnosed with melioidosis last week are aged between 50 and 70, with two residing in Kaohsiung and one in Taichung.
They all had direct exposure to mud and floodwaters after the typhoon, Guo said.
Photo courtesy of CDC
Thirty-five cases of melioidosis have been reported so far this year, including two deaths, he said, adding that 13 of them developed symptoms after the typhoon made landfall in Chiayi County on July 6.
Four cases of leptospirosis were also reported after the storm, with three in Taichung and one in Hualien County, Guo said.
Three had direct exposure to floodwaters or mud, he added.
Melioidosis is a bacterial infection that can become more prevalent after typhoons, as the bacteria are commonly found in soil and can be stirred up by heavy rain or strong winds. Leptospirosis is also a bacterial infection that can be spread to humans through direct contact with floodwaters contaminated by the urine of infected animals.
CDC Deputy Director-General Tseng Shu-hui (曾淑慧), the centers’ spokeswoman, said that people should wear waterproof gloves, long boots and other protective clothing, as well as wear a mask when cleaning up flooded environments to avoid direct contact with contaminated soil and water.
People with diabetes, cancer, or liver, lung or kidney diseases, as well as immunocompromised people, face an increased risk of infection, so if they develop a fever, coughing or other symptoms after contact with floodwater, they should seek medical attention as soon as possible, Tseng said.
Meanwhile, chikungunya outbreaks in several countries are relatively severe this year, with the Americas having the most cases, Guo said.
In Asia, 2,892 cases were reported in China’s Guangdong Province last week, including 2,770 in Foshan City, where more than 6,900 cases have been reported so far this year, he said, adding that Macau and Hong Kong have also reported a few cases.
With the surge of cases in Guangdong, the CDC raised the travel notice to level 2 — “Alert” — for the disease in China, advising people planning to travel there to take precautions.
People planning to travel to countries where chikungunya is spreading should wear long-sleeved clothing with light-colored fabrics, and use repellents to prevent bites, the CDC said.
They should tell airport quarantine station personnel upon arrival if they suspect they have been infected in another country, the centers said.
A case of malaria caused by Plasmodium falciparum was reported, Guo said.
A foreign national in his teens who had traveled in Togo was diagnosed with the disease, he said.
The case brought the total imported cases of malaria reported so far this year to 15, the highest for the period in 19 years, he said.
CDC physician Lin Yung-ching (林詠青) said the teen traveled to Togo with his family and visited rural villages.
The teen reported being bitten by mosquitoes, Lin said.
He developed symptoms about a week after they left the west African country and sought treatment, but his symptoms continued, Lin said.
The teen was hospitalized late last month with jaundice, a swollen spleen and a low blood platelet count, Lin said, adding that a test showed P. falciparum in his blood.
He was treated with antimalarial medications and his symptoms subsided, although he remained in hospital, Lin added.
The first global hotel Keys Selection by the Michelin Guide includes four hotels in Taiwan, Michelin announced yesterday. All four received the “Michelin One Key,” indicating guests are to experience a “very special stay” at any of the locations as the establishments are “a true gem with personality. Service always goes the extra mile, and the hotel provides much more than others in its price range.” Of the four hotels, three are located in Taipei and one in Taichung. In Taipei, the One Key accolades were awarded to the Capella Taipei, Kimpton Da An Taipei and Mandarin Oriental Taipei. Capella Taipei was described by
EVA Airways today confirmed the death of a flight attendant on Saturday upon their return to Taiwan and said an internal investigation has been launched, as criticism mounted over a social media post accusing the airline of failing to offer sufficient employee protections. According to the post, the flight attendant complained of feeling sick on board a flight, but was unable to take sick leave or access medical care. The crew member allegedly did not receive assistance from the chief purser, who failed to heed their requests for medical attention or call an ambulance once the flight landed, the post said. As sick
The Taichung District Court yesterday confirmed its final ruling that the marriage between teenage heir Lai (賴) and a man surnamed Hsia (夏) was legally invalid, preventing Hsia from inheriting Lai’s NT$500 million (US$16.37 million) estate. The court confirmed that Hsia chose not to appeal the civil judgement after the court handed down its ruling in June, making the decision final. In the June ruling, the court said that Lai, 18, and Hsia, 26, showed “no mutual admiration before the marriage” and that their interactions were “distant and unfamiliar.” The judge concluded that the couple lacked the “true intention of
A drunk woman was sexually assaulted inside a crowded concourse of Taipei Railway Station on Thursday last week before a foreign tourist notified police, leading to calls for better education on bystander intervention and review of security infrastructure. The man, surnamed Chiu (邱), was taken into custody on charges of sexual assault, taking advantage of the woman’s condition and public indecency. Police discovered that Chiu was a fugitive with prior convictions for vehicle theft. He has been taken into custody and is to complete his unserved six-month sentence, police said. On Thursday last week, Chiu was seen wearing a white
RSS