In light of the increasing influenza activity in Taiwan, a slight decrease in temperatures due to recent cold fronts, the approaching Dragon Boat Festival that falls on a long weekend, and increased holiday travel, the Taiwan Centers for Disease Control (Taiwan CDC) expects outbreaks of mild influenza to persist. To mitigate the impact of influenza outbreaks, Taiwan CDC decided to expand the target population for the government-funded influenza antiviral drug use to include family members/coworkers/classmates of confirmed influenza cases who display influenza-like illness (ILI) from May 25 to June 20, 2017. Individuals experiencing influenza symptoms may visit one of the over 3,000 contracted healthcare facilities that carry government-funded antivirals in the nation for medical treatment. Physicians are urged to heighten vigilance for patients with influenza and timely prescribe government-funded influenza antiviral drugs to eligible patients without the use of a rapid influenza diagnostic test in order to ensure prompt treatment, prevent further transmission of the disease, and reduce the occurrence of severe cases and deaths.

According to the surveillance data compiled by Taiwan CDC, during May 14 and 20, 2017, the number of people seeking ER and outpatient consultation rates for influenza-like illness was 65,116, which is 2,636 more than that the previous week (62,480). During this influenza season that began on July 1, 2016, a cumulative total of 495 complicated influenza cases, including 62 deaths, have been confirmed in Taiwan and the majority of the infections have been caused by H3N2.　

Taiwan CDC once again reminds the public not to underestimate the threat of influenza infection, practice good personal hygiene such as paying additional attention to respiratory hygiene and cough etiquette, putting on a surgical mask when experiencing respiratory symptoms, covering mouth and nose with a tissue or handkerchief when coughing or sneezing, and maintaining a distance of at least one meter while having conversations with others. In addition, once influenza-like symptoms develop, infected individuals should rest at home, and only resume school or work after full recovery to prevent the further spread of the virus that could lead to outbreaks. If signs of severe complications such as breathing difficulty, shortness of breath, cyanosis, blood-stained mucus or thickening of mucus, chest pain, change of consciousness, or low blood pressure develop, please seek immediate medical attention to ensure prompt treatment and follow the doctor’s instructions in taking the influenza antiviral drugs. 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).