The Taiwan Centers for Disease Control (Taiwan CDC) announced a total of additional 296 indigenous dengue cases were confirmed yesterday, including 237 cases in Tainan City, 50 cases in Kaohsiung City, 3 cases in Pingtung County, 2 cases in Taipei City, and 1 case each in Taoyuan City, Chiayi City, Hsinchu City and Taitung County. Among the newly confirmed cases, prior to disease onset, the cases confirmed in Taipei City had visited Tainan City and Kaohsiung City, while the cases confirmed in Taoyuan City, Chiayi City and Taitung County had visited Tainan City. The source of infection for the case confirmed in Hsinchu County is still being verified. Currently, 34 cases are receiving treatment in the intensive care unit, including 30 cases in Tainan City and 4 cases in Kaohsiung City. 5 new deaths that might be associated with dengue infection were reported. Thus far, a cumulative total of 18 deaths were found to be linked with dengue infection. 34 deaths, including 32 from Tainan City and 2 from Kaohsiung City, are still waiting to be reviewed. Since this summer, a cumulative total of 9,862 indigenous dengue cases confirmed in 21 cities and counties have been reported. 98.7% of the cases were confirmed in southern Taiwan, while cases confirmed in other cities and counties are mostly imported and sporadic cases.

Taiwan CDC reminds that even though the number of new cases confirmed yesterday is slightly lower than that the day before and lower than that reported last week, dengue activity continues to peak and the outbreaks remain rampant. The public is urged to remain vigilant against the disease. As eliminating vector breeding sources remains the most fundamental way to prevent dengue fever, the public is once again urged to reinforce the removing of vector-breeding sites in and around their residences to lower the risk of infection. In addition, when a patient has been infected with different types of dengue virus, the chance that the patient will develop complications is increased. Hence, early diagnosis will facilitate prompt treatment, which will lower the risk of death. If symptoms such as fever, headache, retroorbital pain, muscle pain, joint pain, and rash develop, please seek immediate medical attention and inform the doctor of any relevant medical history, recent travel history and activity to facilitate prompt diagnosis and case reporting.

Taiwan CDC advises when dengue fever is diagnosed, please follow the doctor’s instructions in completing the treatment, drink plenty of fluids to avoid dehydration, and rest at home as much as possible. In addition, dengue patients are also advised to avoid getting mosquito bites within five days after disease onset in order to prevent further spread of the virus through other mosquitoes. To prevent mosquito bites, the public is urged to take precautions such as installing screen doors and window screens to houses, wearing light-colored clothing, long sleeves and long pants, using mosquito nets, mosquito repellent lamps and electric mosquito swatters, as well as applying officially approved mosquito repellent to exposed parts of the body. 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).