As the Chinese New Year holiday is fast approaching, the peak travel season is upon us. To prevent the importation of infectious diseases that could consequently lead to further spread of the disease and compromise the health and wellbeing of the people in Taiwan during the holiday, the Taiwan Centers for Disease Control (Taiwan CDC) remain vigilant for all infectious diseases and its quarantine stations at points of entry continue to implement quarantine measures.

According to statistics compiled by Taiwan CDC, during January 1 and December 31, 2013, a total of 12, 923 passengers with symptoms were detected at points of entry in Taiwan. Among them, most cases (115 cases) were detected with dengue fever, followed by bacillary dysentery (23 cases), chikungunya fever (17 cases), and chickenpox (4 cases). Further, most cases returned from Southeast Asia or China.

Taiwan CDC recommends travelers to take the following four steps to ward off communicable disease infection:

1. Prior to traveling overseas, please visit the Taiwan CDC’s website (http://www.cdc.gov.tw) or the travel clinic to obtain updated, important epidemic information of the travel destination and receive pre-travel consultation services to ensure health and prevent the spread of diseases.

2. While traveling, please pay attention to your own health and dietary hygiene. In addition, avoid close contacts with sick people and animals. If suspected symptoms such as fever develop, please seek prompt medical attention.

3. Upon returning to Taiwan, please cooperate with the fever screening policy and if symptoms such as fever, cough, vomiting, diarrhea, rash or jaundice develop, please notify the quarantine personnel at the airport of your symptoms and voluntarily fill out the “Communicable Disease Survey Form”.

4. If the abovementioned symptoms develop within 15 days of returning home, please seek immediate medical attention and inform the physician of any recent travel and contact history to facilitate diagnosis.

Taiwan CDC once again reminds the public to practice good hand hygiene (washing hands properly and frequently with soap and water) and proper cough etiquette (wear a mask when sick with a cough or sneezing illness), as well as resting at home while sick. For more information on communicable diseases, 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 if calling from a cell phone.