Between August and November 2, 2010, a total of 905 indigenous cases have been confirmed in Taiwan, including 524 cases in Kaohsiung City, 256 cases in Tainan City, 81 cases in Tainan County, 25 cases in Kaohsiung County, 4 cases in Pingtung County, 2 cases in Taipei City, 12 cases in Taipei County, and 1 case in Taoyuan County.This year, a cumulative total of 12 cases of dengue hemorrhagic fever have been reported, including 2 deaths.Currently, besides taking aggressive measures against dengue, the Central Epidemic Command Center for Dengue Epidemic (CECC for Dengue Epidemic) is also administering an action plan aimed to reduce the number of containers in the community and the three-level multi-stage mobilized dengue vector breeding site inspection and evaluation program. On November 7, the commanders and executive officers of CECC will visit southern Taiwan again to examine the implementation of the aforementioned measures and ensure the dengue epidemic can be brought under control as soon as possible.

Beginning October 27, CECC has implemented the action plan aimed to reduce the number of containers in the community.The command post set up in southern Taiwan assists in the supervision of implementation of the action plan by the local governments.The purpose of the action plan is to reduce the number of vector breeding sites, thus controlling the dengue epidemic.The plan involves various local government agencies, including the administrative agency, the education agency, the environmental protection agency and the health unit, and the community.Further, residents and elementary and middle school students are asked to actively participate in the action plan to clean up vector breeding sites and ensure environmental hygiene.

Beginning November 1, CECC is administering the three-level multi-stage mobilized dengue vector breeding site inspection and evaluation program in seven cities and counties in southern Taiwan.The three levels of inspection are: local (conducted by local administrative offices in village), municipal (conducted by departments of environmental protection and health bureaus in each city and county), central (conducted by BEI of EPA and Taiwan CDC of DOH).The inspection is aimed to ensure elimination of vector breeding sites in and around residences. The public is reminded to check for vector-breeding sites, drain water-filled containers and clean up vector breeding sites around their residences to ensure environmental hygiene and effectively control the dengue epidemic in southern Taiwan.

CECC reminds that the ongoing dengue epidemic in southern Taiwan remains severe.The public should continue to follow government policies closely and clean up vector-breeding sites.Residents in areas that are not affected by the epidemic should also remain alert.CECC once again stresses that everyone needs to participate in dengue control efforts in order to successfully contain the epidemic and urges the public to stay vigilant against dengue fever and take necessary measures such as draining water containers and cleaning up vector breeding sites around their residences as well as preventing mosquito bites to effectively prevent the spread of dengue fever and dengue hemorrhagic fever and protect their health and the health of their family.For any questions or further information on dengue fever, please call the toll-free Communicable Disease Case Reporting and Consultation Hotline 1922, or visit the CECC’s website: http://Dengue.nat.gov.tw.