Dengue Fever Outbreak in Taiwan 結果共6筆

New Taipei City Mayor Hou Yu-ih announced efforts to control a dengue fever outbreak. The CDC reported three new cases, prompting disinfection and closures in high-risk areas.

Discover the latest on Tainan’s 17th imported dengue fever case: a Filipino man hospitalized upon arrival from Taoyuan Airport, marking Taiwan’s rising concern over the disease’s spread from Southeast Asia and South America.

A pivotal study reveals that dengue fever can rapidly spread through a transmission method similar to needle-sharing in infectious diseases like HBV, HCB, and HIV. The study, conducted by Taiwan’s National Health Research Institutes in collaboration with the Department of Health and Kaohsiung City Government, analyzed the timing of infections during the 2015 outbreak. They found that in 85% of household cases, symptoms occurred within three days of each other, contradicting the previously believed incubation period for virus transmission. Using animal models, researchers confirmed that when mosquitoes bite an infected animal and then promptly bite another, the virus can transfer via the mosquito’s proboscis, bypassing the once-considered essential eight-day extrinsic incubation period. This finding explains the rapid spread of the 2015 dengue epidemic in Taiwan and raises concerns for the recent spike in cases. The study, published in the esteemed journal eBiomedicine, a Lancet subsidiary, in August 2023, also involved international researchers from the University of California, Nagoya University, Tsinghua University, and National Taiwan University.

The dengue fever outbreak in Taiwan continues to surge, with Tainan reporting 40 new local cases on Sunday (Nov. 19), pushing the total to 26,160. Kaohsiung added 51 cases on the same day, raising its cumulative count to 2,054. However, the Taiwan Centers for Disease Control (CDC) indicated a decreasing trend in 10 dengue fever hotspots in Tainan. The Tainan Dengue Fever Prevention and Control Center reminded people that the development time of mosquito larvae increases in temperatures below 20 degrees Celsius, but their growth and activity are only inhibited in conditions under 16 degrees. As temperatures drop, disease-carrying mosquitoes may seek shelter indoors.

Taiwan faces a concerning spike in dengue fever cases, with Tainan bearing the brunt of over 80% of the 1,579 cases reported this year. As the nation grapples with rising temperatures and typhoon season, authorities intensify efforts to curb the disease’s spread. Learn about the factors driving the outbreak and essential prevention measures.

Taiwan health authorities have warned the public to take preventative measures against dengue fever, as nearly 300 cases have been reported nationwide this year, including the first domestic case reported in Tainan in June.