TAIPEI (TVBS News) — The Department of Health, Taipei City Government announced Tuesday (Feb. 27) that an imported case of measles was identified in Taipei for the first time. The individual had visited the Taipei Main Station, leading to public health warnings for those who may have come into direct contact.
The patient is a foreign man in his twenties who had not been vaccinated for measles. He entered Taiwan from Malaysia on Feb. 20, and after seeking medical attention for symptoms like fever and rash on Feb. 22, was confirmed with the virus on Tuesday.
The health department has tracked 330 individuals who came in contact with him. This includes one person traveling with him, 29 people on the plane, 291 people at a hospital, and nine other contacts.
On the day of his arrival, Feb. 20, the man traveled on Air Asia flight AK1510, arriving in Taiwan at 10:22 a.m. He took the Taoyuan Airport MRT from Terminal 1 to the Taipei Main Station from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and dined at the BaFang dumpling TPE HuaTing branch from 1:30 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.
The health department urges that those who were at these locations through March 9 monitor their health. If symptoms such as rash, fever, cough, runny nose, light sensitivity, tearing, red eyes, or other signs of rhinitis and conjunctivitis are present, they should immediately contact health units for diagnostics to reduce the risk of spreading the virus.
