• Location:臺灣
• Date: 2023/05/09
• Update Date:2023/05/09
• Clicks:47

The Taiwan Center for Disease Control expressed that the epidemic of enterovirus is rising continuously. In addition, it is a highly contagious disease, which can be transmitted among school children in campus via close contact. It reminds that parents, education organizations, and childcare centers should be cautious about the transmission of the disease. They should clean up and disinfect the home environment, classrooms, and recreational facilities, and keep the venues ventilated. Young children should wash their hands in 5 steps: “wet, rub, rinse, clean, and wipe” precisely after getting in and out of the childcare centers, nursery, and indoor playgrounds, where frequent interaction takes place, going home, and before meals. If they are sick, they should stay home and take some rest. It is necessary to maintain good sanitary habits to minimize the risk of transmission of the disease in campuses or communities.

The Taiwan Center for Disease Control expressed mild enterovirus 71 cases increased by 2 last week. In both of the cases, they were young children at the age of 1 living in the northern Taiwan, and they felt sick in early April. After therapy, their conditions had improved. This year (2023), there have been 7 cases of mild enterovirus 71 cases, with the total of 2 cases with severe complications. They were cases of enterovirus D68 and coxsackievirus A6.

According to the statistics of the Taiwan Center for Disease Control, there were 7,851 person-times of patients seeking emergency medical treatment for enterovirus. Compared with the statistics last week (5,470 person-times), there has been a significant increase of 43.5%. The risk of transmission showed to be significant when compared with statistics in the same period over the past 6 years. People should pay attention to the symptoms of severe complication of enterovirus. According to the monitoring of the labs, it shows that the enterovirus activities in the communities have been rising. Most of them are verified to be coxsackie virus A, and enterovirus 71 and D68 case are still active in communities. 

The Taiwan Center for Disease Control would like to advocate that due to the risks of the epidemic of enterovirus, the educational organizations and childcare centers should prepare for the prevention of the disease precisely. They should self-check and inspect the measures of epidemic prevention according to the “Handbook for the Prevention of Enterovirus for Educational and Childcare Staff.” It would also like to remind that people should maintain good personal hygiene and habits by washing their hands frequently. It will minimize the risk of the transmission of enterovirus by keeping the venues ventilated and disinfecting the environment regularly to keep the young children healthy.

The Taiwan Center for Disease Control would like to remind the public again that young children below the age of 5 belong to the severe complication group. If they are discovered to have the symptoms of drowsiness, unconsciousness, poor vitality, hands and feet have no power, physical numbness, muscle cramps (similar to the shock of sudden muscle contraction action), continuous vomiting, shortness of breath, rapid heartbeat, and others, please seek medical treatment at a major hospital immediately. For further information, please visit the website of the Taiwan Center for Disease Control or dial the toll-free number of the epidemic prevention hotline 1922 or (0800-001922).