As the temperature has continued to lower, the dengue outbreaks in southern Taiwan have been showing signs of slowing. However, a cluster of 8 dengue cases have recently been reported in Taitung County. Three of the cases had visited Kaohsiung City prior to their disease onset. As a result, they might have become infected with dengue fever in Kaohsiung City. The other 5 cases might have been infected by those three patients. The Taiwan Centers for Disease Control (Taiwan CDC) continues to remind the public to clean up and remove vector-breeding sites to prevent further transmission.

Last week, a total of 256 indigenous cases of dengue fever and 5 imported cases of dengue fever were confirmed. Among the indigenous cases, 242 cases were confirmed in Kaohsiung City, 9 cases were confirmed in Pingtung County, and 5 cases were confirmed in Taitung County. Besides continuing to closely monitor the outbreak situation, the local health authority has implemented a number of prevention measures to prevent further spread of the disease, including conducting a thorough cleaning of vector breeding sites and spraying insecticide in and around the cases’ residences and places frequently visited by the cases. In addition, three new cases of dengue hemorrhagic fever were confirmed in Kaohsiung City. As of now, two are still hospitalized for treatment, while the other case has been discharged.

As of December 23, 2014, a cumulative total of 15, 260 indigenous cases of dengue fever have been confirmed since this summer. Of the cases, 14,798 cases were confirmed in Kaohsiung City, 205 cases were confirmed in Pingtung County, 146 cases were confirmed in Tainan City, 16 cases were respectively confirmed in New Taipei City and Penghu County, 15 cases were confirmed in Taitung County, 14 cases were confirmed in Taichung City, 13 cases were confirmed in Taipei City, 7 cases were confirmed in Yunlin County, 6 cases were confirmed in Chiayi City, 5 cases were confirmed in Taoyuan County, 4 cases were respectively confirmed in Hsinchu City and Chiayi County, 3 cases were respectively confirmed in Changhua County, Hsinchu County, Miaoli County and Nantou County, and 1 case was respectively confirmed in Hualien County and Yilan County.

Although dengue activity has continued to decrease and the temperature has dropped, Aedes aegypti, the principal dengue-carrying vector, prefers to live indoors. Hence, Taiwan CDC once again reminds the public to reinforce the removal of vector-breeding sites and ensure the cleanliness of the environment as well as take precautions against mosquito bites in order to minimize the risk of dengue infection. On the other hand, physicians are urged to stay alert for suspected dengue patients presenting fever in order to facilitate prompt diagnosis and treatment and reduce the occurrence of complications and deaths. For more information on dengue fever, please visit the Taiwan CDC’s website at http://www.cdc.gov.tw or call the toll-free Communicable Disease Reporting and Consultation Hotline, 1922, or 0800-001922.