Sun, May 24, 2026 page3

• Japan ‘mystery illness’ not new: CDC

  FUKUOKA SITUATION: Japanese media reported that the pathogen is expected to be identified by the summer, while the CDC downplayed the idea that it was hMPV

  • By Lee I-chia / Staff reporter
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  A “mysterious cold-like illness” reported in Japan’s Fukuoka Prefecture does not seem to be a new disease, but Japanese authorities have been asked about the situation, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said yesterday.

  The Fukuoka Prefectural Medical Association on Wednesday told a news conference that a “mystery cold” that has become a hot topic on social media is “highly likely to be caused by some kind of viral infection,” Japan’s KBC News reported.

  “Many people are experiencing symptoms starting with a sore throat, followed by a runny nose, phlegm and a severe cough,” KBC News reported, citing association officials.

  

  The Centers for Disease Control’s headquareters is pictured in Taipei in an undated photograph.

  Photo: Lin Huei-chin, Taipei Times

  Health authorities are investigating the pathogen and expect to determine what it is by the summer, it reported.

  FBS News reported that the association said it became aware of the cases early this month.

  The association is collecting samples from people with symptoms to conduct detailed tests, but it would take one to two months for the results to be made public, FBS News reported.

  A physician in Fukuoka City said that possible causes might include pollen allergies or human metapneumovirus (hMPV), it reported.

  CDC spokeswoman Tseng Shu-hui (曾淑慧) yesterday said that in accordance with the International Health Regulations, the centers have asked Japanese authorities about the situation.

  Disease surveillance data showed that hospital visits for flu-like illnesses in Japan and Taiwan have been falling, Tseng said, adding that in Taiwan, the most commonly detected viral pathogens in the past few weeks were parainfluenza virus, influenza virus and adenovirus.

  As the Japanese authorities have not completed their investigation, the pathogen there has not been confirmed and there is no way to prove that it is associated with any virus type at this time, she said.

  Asked about the theory that hMPV was to blame, Tseng said that hMPV is not a new pathogen, but a common respiratory virus that the CDC continuously monitors, along with influenza, adenovirus, mycoplasma and other respiratory pathogens.

  Moreover, hMPV infections have not risen significantly, she said, adding that hMPV is not listed as a notifiable communicable disease, so unless a new variant of the virus emerges, such as novel influenza A virus infections, the CDC will not issue a travel notice for a common respiratory virus.

  Other countries have not taken such a measure either, she said.

  Common symptoms of hMPV infection are similar to the common cold, flu and respiratory syncytial virus infection, and can cause respiratory illness in people of all ages, but there is higher risk of more severe illness in young children, elderly people and immunocompromised people, Tseng said.

  People who visit Japan do not need to be too concerned at this point, but they are still encouraged to practice good hand hygiene, cough etiquette and wear a mask at crowded venues, she said, adding that if they experience symptoms after returning to Taiwan, they should tell their doctor about their recent travel history when seeking medical attention.

  Meanwhile, the CDC’s travel health notice for the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo) would remain at a Level 2 “Alert” for now, Tseng said.

  The WHO on Friday raised the national risk assessment for the DR Congo to “very high” amid an Ebola outbreak.

  The CDC would continue to monitor the situation, Tseng said.

  Although the WHO raised its risk assessment for the DR Congo, it assesses the global risk to be “low” and Taiwan has not detected any suspected or confirmed case, so the general threat remains low, she said.

  The CDC on Friday wrote on Facebook that the Ebola outbreak in Africa is caused by the Bundibugyo ebolavirus, which is mainly transmitted through direct contact with blood and bodily fluids, not spread through the air.

  The general risk of infection in Taiwan remains low, so people do not need to panic, but should remain cautious when traveling abroad, it said.

  Additional reporting by CNA
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