On December 18, 2015, the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) for Dengue Outbreak convened the fourteenth meeting. Dengue activity in Kaohsiung City begun to reverse and has decreased for four consecutive weeks since reaching its peak in Week 46. In light of the fact that the World Health Organization (WHO) has suggested better environmental management for the control of dengue in order to minimize the impact of chemical vector control on the environment, CECC for Dengue Outbreak has planned to adjust its current dengue prevention and control strategies over time.

According to the WHO guideline, chemical control has been the primary strategy implemented in Southeast Asia to control and prevent dengue transmission. Yet, during the past 25 years, the overall dengue incidence has continued to drastically increase, indicating that chemical control has limited effect on the control of vector population and giving the public the false image that chemical control alone is enough and source reduction will not be necessary. Hence, CECC for Dengue Outbreak will focus more on community-based source reduction and implement chemical control as the supplementary measure from now on.

According to the statistics compiled by the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) for Dengue Outbreak, a total of additional 93 indigenous dengue cases were confirmed in Taiwan on December 17, 2015, including 90 cases in Kaohsiung City and 1 case in Tainan City. Since this summer, a cumulative total of 42,268 indigenous dengue cases, including 22,730 cases in Tainan City, 18,655 cases in Kaohsiung City, 362 cases in Pingtung City and imported and sporadic cases in other cities and counties, have been confirmed. Thus far, a cumulative total of 204 deaths, including 112 deaths in Tainan City, 90 deaths in Kaohsiung City, and 2 deaths in Pingtung City, were found to be linked with dengue infection. Currently, 40 dengue patients are being treated in the intensive care unit. 97.6% of the total reported cases, which is 41,283 patients, have recovered.

The Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) has conducted five times of vector site cleaning program respectively in Tainan City and Kaohsiung City and it is in the process of conducting Phase 5 Vector Surveillance in Tainan City and Phase 3 Vector Surveillance in Kaohsiung City using ovitraps. As of now, the Container Index in each district in Tainan City has fallen below 20%, but some districts in Kaohsiung City are found to have a Container Index of over 20%. EPA will continue to conduct post-control vector surveillance and reinforce source reduction.

Once again, the Commander of CECC for Dengue Outbreak, Vice Premier Chang San-cheng (張善政) instructed EPA to continue to reinforce the patrolling and inspections of houses and buildings managed by the central governments to eliminate any possible vector breeding sites. At the same time, the public is urged to remain vigilant for dengue and continue to clean and remove vector breeding sites as well as cooperate with the government prevention and control efforts in order to ensure effective dengue control.