Three new local cases of mpox were reported this month, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said yesterday, urging those at risk to get vaccinated immediately.
One new endemic case of mpox was reported in northern Taiwan, while two cases were reported in central Taiwan, CDC Deputy Director-General Tseng Shu-hui (曾淑慧) said.
The patients developed rashes, blisters and pustules across their bodies, which the doctors reported after taking samples, Tseng said.
Photo: Tsai Shu-yuan, Taipei Times
All three incidents were sporadic and were not part of a large cluster infection, she added.
Taiwan listed mpox as a Category 2 national infectious disease on June 23, 2022, and as of Wednesday, had recorded 483 cases, of which 451 were local and 32 were imported, Tseng said.
This year has seen 27 local cases and four imported cases, with the imported cases originating from China, Hong Kong and Thailand, Tseng added.
Three mpox cases were recorded in May, seven in June, 11 last month and three this month, which — although fewer than the same period last year — highlight the continued risk that mpox could develop into a community epidemic, Tseng said.
The CDC will continue to monitor the outbreak, Tseng said, adding that the most effective way to prevent mpox is to get vaccinated.
As of Sunday, 101,515 people had received at least one dose of the mpox vaccine, among whom 70,189 were vaccinated twice, CDC statistics showed.
The CDC urged people traveling to areas with mpox or known areas in Taiwan that have seen outbreaks to protect themselves by avoiding social activities where they might come into close contact with others.
Travelers should also be on the lookout for whether they or others are exhibiting symptoms, such as rashes, blisters, pustules, macules and punctate papules, the CDC said.
Other symptoms include fever, chills, headache, muscle aches or swollen lymph nodes in the neck, armpits, groin or other areas, it added.
Should someone experience any of these symptoms, they should wear a mask and visit their nearest clinic or hospital as soon as possible, the CDC said.
Travelers should disclose to doctors their recent travel history and whether they have been to areas with a high risk of mpox infection, it added.
The Coast Guard Administration (CGA) yesterday said it had deployed patrol vessels to expel a China Coast Guard ship and a Chinese fishing boat near Pratas Island (Dongsha Island, 東沙群島) in the South China Sea. The China Coast Guard vessel was 28 nautical miles (52km) northeast of Pratas at 6:15am on Thursday, approaching the island’s restricted waters, which extend 24 nautical miles from its shoreline, the CGA’s Dongsha-Nansha Branch said in a statement. The Tainan, a 2,000-tonne cutter, was deployed by the CGA to shadow the Chinese ship, which left the area at 2:39pm on Friday, the statement said. At 6:31pm on Friday,
The Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy’s (PLAN) third aircraft carrier, the Fujian, would pose a steep challenge to Taiwan’s ability to defend itself against a full-scale invasion, a defense expert said yesterday. Institute of National Defense and Security Research analyst Chieh Chung (揭仲) made the comment hours after the PLAN confirmed the carrier recently passed through the Taiwan Strait to conduct “scientific research tests and training missions” in the South China Sea. China has two carriers in operation — the Liaoning and the Shandong — with the Fujian undergoing sea trials. Although the PLAN needs time to train the Fujian’s air wing and
The American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) put Taiwan in danger, Ma Ying-jeou Foundation director Hsiao Hsu-tsen (蕭旭岑) said yesterday, hours after the de facto US embassy said that Beijing had misinterpreted World War II-era documents to isolate Taiwan. The AIT’s comments harmed the Republic of China’s (ROC) national interests and contradicted a part of the “six assurances” stipulating that the US would not change its official position on Taiwan’s sovereignty, Hsiao said. The “six assurances,” which were given by then-US president Ronald Reagan to Taiwan in 1982, say that Washington would not set a date for ending arm sales to Taiwan, consult
A Taiwanese academic yesterday said that Chinese Ambassador to Denmark Wang Xuefeng (王雪峰) disrespected Denmark and Japan when he earlier this year allegedly asked Japan’s embassy to make Taiwan’s representatives leave an event in Copenhagen. The Danish-language Berlingske on Sunday reported the incident in an article with the headline “The emperor’s birthday ended in drama in Copenhagen: More conflict may be on the way between Denmark and China.” It said that on Feb. 26, the Japanese embassy in Denmark held an event for Japanese Emperor Naruhito’s birthday, with about 200 guests in attendance, including representatives from Taiwan. After addressing the Japanese hosts, Wang
RSS