Two new cases of newborns developing severe complications from enterovirus were reported last week, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said yesterday, adding that the 15 severe cases reported so far this year represented a six-year high.
The newborns, in central Taiwan, were less than a month old, CDC Epidemic Intelligence Center Deputy Director Lee Chia-lin (李佳琳) said.
Seven of the 15 people with severe enterovirus infections (including the two new cases) died, also marking a six-year high, she said, adding that 11 of them, mostly newborns, had contracted echovirus 11.
Photo: CNA
CDC physician Lin Yung-ching (林詠青) said the two new cases are a five-day-old baby and a 10-day-old premature baby, both of whom had a sepsis-like illness, including elevated liver enzymes, low blood platelets and coagulation abnormality.
One has been discharged from hospital after recovering, while the other remained hospitalized after three weeks of treatment, Lin said.
CDC Deputy Director-General Tseng Shu-hui (曾淑慧) said newborns can contract an enterovirus from their mother during pregnancy or childbirth, or direct contact with infected people after birth, so expectant mothers should inform a doctor if they develop symptoms.
Family members should practice good personal hygiene and avoid contact if they have symptoms, Tseng said.
Symptoms in newborns could be mild at first, such as a fever, low body temperature, reduced activity, or low appetite, but could progress into severe illness, so caregivers should pay special attention to their conditions and promptly seek medical attention when needed, she said.
Enterovirus infection has not entered an epidemic period, but cases usually rise in September when school starts, she said.
Parents and school staff should stay alert and practice preventive measures, including washing hands frequently with soap, or if they develop symptoms, rest at home and avoid going to public venues, she said.
Separately, Lee said eight new cases of local dengue were reported last week, including six that were deemed to be of the same cluster as the cases reported in Kaohsiung’s Gushan District (鼓山).
The two other cases were a family in Sanmin District (三民), who have no record of traveling to Gushan or other counties, so the source of their infection is still being determined, she said.
Nine imported cases were also reported last week — five from Vietnam and four from Indonesia, she added.
With the start of a new semester, schools should pay special attention to cleaning campuses, dumping water in containers and thoroughly washing them to avoid creating breeding grounds for mosquitoes and prevent dengue transmission, Tseng said.
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