On April 24, 2012, the Taiwan Centers for Disease Control (Taiwan CDC) announced three new cases of enterovirus 71 infection with severe complications. The cases respectively are a one-year-and-five-month-old boy, a two-year-and-two-month-old boy, and a twelve-year-old girl who reside in southern Taiwan. In early April, they respectively developed symptoms pertaining to enterovirus infection, including fever, oral ulcer, and rashes on limbs, and prodromal signs of complications, including myoclonic jerk, tachycardia, unsteady gait, and vomiting. Fortunately, they were all promptly rushed to a large hospital for medical treatment. As of now, two cases have recovered and been discharged, while the one-year-and-five-month-old boy is still hospitalized for medical treatment.

The threat of enterovirus 71 continues to persist as mild cases of enterovirus 71 and cases of enterovirus infection with severe complications have still been detected. As of April 23, a total of 27 cases of enterovirus infection with severe complications have been reported, which is higher than that during the same period in previous years. Taiwan CDC advises as the weather gets warmer, the number of enterovirus cases, including enterovirus infection with severe complications, will increase. The public is warned to remain vigilant of enterovirus infection. Parents and caregivers of children are advised to isolate children who are sick from the healthy children to reduce the risk of enterovirus transmission.

Taiwan CDC once again warns that enterovirus is highly contagious and the risk of transmission is higher at home and school, including kindergarten, child care centers and student care centers. Infants and children under the age of 5 are at the highest risk for complications. When a child in a household is diagnosed with enterovirus infection, please refrain the sick child from close contact with other children. The excrement (feces, nasal and oral secretions) of the patient shall be handled with care, and parents shall immediately wash their hands after disposing of them. In addition, parents are urged to pay close attention to the symptoms of the sick child. Once the sick child develops suspected symptoms such as drowsiness, disturbed consciousness, inactivity, flaccid paralysis, myoclonic jerk, continuous vomiting, tachypnea, and tachycardia, please take the child to a large hospital immediately in order to ensure prompt treatment.

For more information on enterovirus, please call the toll-free Communicable Disease Reporting and Consultation Hotline, 1922, or 0800-024582 if calling from a cell phone, or visit the Taiwan CDC’s website at http://www.cdc.gov.tw.