On October 13, 2015, the Taiwan Centers for Disease Control (Taiwan CDC) confirmed one new case of Coxsackie B5 infection with severe complications in a baby boy aged less than one month old who resides in central Taiwan. Taiwan CDC reminds the public that as the enterovirus season is still not over. As preschool children are at increased risk for enterovirus infection with severe complications, parents and caregivers are advised to pay attention to personal hygiene, take necessary precautions, and pay attention to prodromal symptoms of severe enterovirus infection in children in order to reduce the occurrence of severe cases.

The case was born on September 25. When the case and the mother were discharged from the hospital, they were transferred to a postpartum nursing care center. In the afternoon of October 2, the case developed fever. On the same day, after he sought medical attention, he was immediately hospitalized in a neonatal ward. On October 7, when he developed change of consciousness, cyanosis, tachycardia, and low blood pressure, he was transferred to the intensive care unit. Infection with Coxsackie B5 virus was confirmed in the case after the hospital reported the case to the health authority as a suspected case. As of now, the case is still hospitalized for treatment. None of the family members, workers at the postpartum nursing care center and other newborn babies staying at the same care center has developed suspected symptoms.

During the past 4 weeks, the numbers of people seeking healthcare for enterovirus infection respectively are 13,120, 12,612, 11,566, and 12,743. The ER consultation rate for enterovirus infection during Week 40 is slightly higher than that last week. and that during the same week from 2011 to 2014 (11,013, 4,938, 9,943, and 6,066）. Thus far this year, 5 severe cases of enterovirus infection have been confirmed, including 3 caused by CB 5 virus and 2 caused by CA 16 virus. Among the severe cases, two died. One died from infection with CB 5 virus and one died from infection with CA 16 virus. Coxsackie A 6 virus is currently the dominant strain circulating in the community.

Taiwan CDC once again reminds the public that enterovirus is highly contagious and child caregivers, including parents and family members, are advised to pay attention to their own health and the health of children and reinforce the importance of frequent hand washing and cough etiquette for everyone in the household. 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 website at http://www.cdc.gov.tw or call the toll-free Communicable Disease Reporting and Consultation Hotline, 1922 (or 0800-001922).