On October 30, 2012, the Taiwan Centers for Disease Control (Taiwan CDC) announced two new cases of enterovirus 71 infection with severe complications confirmed last week. The cases respectively are a two-year-old girl who resides in northern Taiwan and an eleven-month-old boy who resides in southern Taiwan. Around mid-October, they developed symptoms such as fever, rashes on limbs, and oral ulcer. After seeking medical attention at a clinic, the cases were diagnosed with enterovirus infection. Subsequently, when the cases developed prodromal signs of complications, including vomiting, myoclonus, and unconsciousness, they were transferred to a large hospital for further medical treatment. After receiving appropriate treatment, the cases have recovered and been discharged from the hospital. As of October 29, a cumulative total of 151 cases of enterovirus infection with severe complications have been reported this year. Of the cases, 148 were infected with enterovirus 71, including two deaths. 

According to the surveillance data compiled by Taiwan CDC, enterovirus activity has been on a steady decline since the weather has become colder. Nevertheless, enterovirus 71 remains the dominant virus strain circulating in the community and the risk of transmission and developing complications remains. Hence, Taiwan CDC would like to remind the public to maintain environmental cleanliness and disinfect children’s toys regularly. Both adults and children should develop good personal hygiene habits, including seeking medical attention immediately when sick, resting at home when sick, and avoiding contact with infants and young children and visiting crowded places when sick in order to reduce the risk of disease transmission and risk of developing complications and ensure prompt recovery. 

Infants and children aged below 5 are at increased risk of developing enterovirus infection with severe complications. Therefore, when a child below 5 years of age in a household is diagnosed with enterovirus infection, parents and child caregivers 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.