TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan's Centers for Disease Control (CDC, 疾管署) reported on Tuesday (Nov. 5) an alarming surge in enterovirus cases, reaching over 19,000 outpatient visits last week. This figure represents a 4.7% increase from the previous week and marks the highest number for this period in the past decade.
CDC Epidemic Intelligence Center Director Guo Hung-wei (郭宏偉) explained that monitoring data from Oct. 27 to Nov. 2 showed 19,460 outpatient visits, indicating a rising trend and a peak period of the outbreak.
Guo noted that recent laboratory surveillance over the past four weeks identified Coxsackie A16 as the predominant strain, followed by Coxsackie A6. Other strains, such as Coxsackie A and enterovirus D68, remain active in communities, sustaining transmission risks.
Meanwhile, CDC spokesperson Tseng Shu-hui (曾淑慧) attributed the unusual autumn and winter outbreak to the variety of virus strains and the lack of previous exposure among children during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Tseng reported an increase in class suspensions, with 265 classes halted compared to 183 the previous week. These include 25 elementary school classes, 186 kindergarten classes, and 54 others.
The CDC urged vigilance, emphasizing the virus's high transmissibility in places with close human interaction, such as homes, kindergartens, after-school programs, and daycare centers. The agency further advised monitoring the health of infants and young children closely.
