Due to the four-day New Year holiday, hospital outpatient services were closed and many people gathered in groups to celebrate the New Year. As a result, the rate of emergency visit for diarrhea increased significantly compared to that during the previous week and it is the highest among children aged between 0-6. The epidemic has remained at its peak. Norovirus infection usually results in self-limited, mild to moderate gastroenteritis. In addition, norovirus infections are seldom fatal and rarely cause complications. However, symptoms are more severe in elderly and people with suppressed immune system. Therefore, people who have recently experienced acute diarrhea should avoid visiting friends and relatives in hospital or nursing homes to prevent further transmission in such settings. 

According to the surveillance data compiled by the Taiwan Centers for Disease Control (Taiwan CDC),during the past four weeks( Week 50 in 2012 to Week 1 in 2013), the rates of emergency visit for diarrhea respectively were 8.25, 8.60, 7.88 and 9.96. During the same period last year, the rates of emergency visit for diarrhea respectively were 3.92, 3.83, 3.94 and 3.84. On the other hand, during the past four weeks, the rates of outpatient clinic visit for diarrhea respectively were 3.92, 4.09, 3.86 and 4.30. During the same period last year, the rates of outpatient clinic visit for diarrhea respectively were 3.01, 3.0, 2.97 and 3.04. According to the diarrhea cluster surveillance data, the majority of the recent clusters are caused by norovirus and they primarily occurred in schools, hospitals, nursing homes and other institutional settings. 

In light of the recent worldwide norovirus activity, Taiwan CDC has proactively implemented various response measures, including ensuring food safety management, promoting personal hygiene, and strengthening cluster control in schools and populous institutions. Moreover, Taiwan CDC has sought assistance and cooperation from several other government agencies, including the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of the Interior, local governments, and the Food and Drug Administration, to reinforce implementation of the aforementioned response measures. Furthermore, besides closely monitoring norovirus activity and regularly releasing outbreak news, Taiwan CDC has formulated the handbook for the control and management of viral gastroenteritis, the infection control guidance and promotion materials that have all been uploaded to the Taiwan CDC website for the public to download.

Noroviruses are primarily transmitted through the fecal-oral route by consuming contaminated food or water and coming into contact with things that have virus on them. As norovirus is highly contagious, people who work with food should know the virus can easily contaminate food. Therefore, food handlers who are sick with norovirus should refrain from working with food while sick and maintain good personal hygiene habits such as avoid drinking unboiled water, avoid eating raw foods, and wash hands frequently, to prevent norovirus from spreading. For any questions or further information, please call the toll-free Communicable Disease Reporting and Care Hotline, 1922, or 0800-024582 if calling from a cell phone, or visit the Taiwan CDC’s website at http://www.cdc.gov.tw.