As schools of all levels are reopening this week, increased interaction among schoolchildren after schools resume will likely increase the transmission of enterovirus both at home and at school. According to the surveillance data compiled by the Taiwan Centers for Disease Control (Taiwan CDC), enterovirus activity remains at its peak. Hence, Taiwan CDC advises childcare center personnel, parents, and schoolchildren to pay attention to personal hygiene and wash hands frequently to effectively decrease the chance of enterovirus infection. Both adults and children are urged to develop good personal hygiene habits, including seeking medical attention immediately when sick, resting at home when sick, and avoiding contact with infants and young children when sick in order to reduce the risk of disease transmission and risk of developing complications and ensure prompt recovery.

During the past 4 weeks, the numbers of people seeking healthcare for enterovirus infection respectively are 9,747, 9,811, 9,536, and 9,642, which are close to the epidemic threshold: 9,696. The ER consultation rate for enterovirus infection during Week 34 was 4.76‰, which is slightly higher than the epidemic threshold: 4.35‰. Thus far this year, four severe cases of enterovirus infection have been confirmed, including two caused by CB 5 virus and two caused by CA 16 virus. Among the severe cases, two died. One died from infection with CB virus and one died from infection with CA 16 virus. Taiwan CDC will continue to monitor the development of the epidemic and the dominant virus strain variation. Coxsackie A 16 virus is currently the dominant strain circulating in the community. The number of cases is expected to increase after schools reopen this week.

Taiwan CDC warns that enterovirus is highly contagious, especially in crowded places such as households and child care facilities where clusters often occur, and infants and children aged below 5 are at increased risk of developing enterovirus infection with severe complications. Taiwan CDC advises the public to clean and disinfect the environment and toys and objects children play with regularly and educate children the importance of cleanliness in maintaining health in order to prevent disease transmission. In addition, when a child in a household is diagnosed with enterovirus infection, parents and child caregivers are urged to refrain the sick child from close contact with other children to prevent further spread of the disease and pay close attention to the symptoms of the sick child. Once the sick child develops suspected symptoms such as persistent fever, drowsiness, disturbed consciousness, inactivity, flaccid paralysis, myoclonic jerk, continuous vomiting, tachypnea, and tachycardia, please take the child to a large hospital immediately in order to ensure prompt treatment.

For more information, please visit the Taiwan CDC’s website at http://www.cdc.gov.tw or call the toll-free Communicable Disease Reporting and Care Hotline, 1922 (or 0800-001922).