On August 8, 2013, the Taiwan Centers for Disease Control (Taiwan CDC) announced one new case of enterovirus 71 infection with severe complications. The case is a two-year-old boy who resides in central Taiwan. In late July, he developed fever, loss of appetite, vomiting, and rashes on limbs and was diagnosed with entoerivurs infection when he sought medical attention. Subsequently, he developed persistent myoclonic jerk. Fortunately, he received appropriate medical treatment in time. As of now, the case is still hospitalized and his condition has been stable. According to the epidemiological investigation, none of the people who reside in the same household with the case have developed symptoms pertaining to enterovirus infection. Nevertheless, it is still uncertain whether the case became infected with enterovirus from other cases of enterovirus infection with mild or no symptoms in his household or people whom he has regular contact with in his day-to-day life. As the epidemic has reached its peak, both adults and children are urged to wash hands properly and frequently to ward off enterovirus infection.

According to Taiwan CDC’s surveillance data, thus far this year, coxsackie-virus A6 is the dominant virus strain circulating in the community and enterovirus 71 is comparatively less active. As of August 8, 2013, a total of 8 cases of enterovirus infection with severe complications have been confirmed, including 4 cases of EV71, 3 cases of CA6 and 1 case of Echo30. Taiwan CDC continues to closely monitor enterovirus activity.

Taiwan CDC states that infants and children aged below 5 are at increased risk of developing enterovirus infection with severe complications and warns that some children develop mild or no symptoms or merely experience influenza-like symptoms, which are not easily distinguished from enterovirus infection, making cases with mild or no symptoms a potential source of enterovirus transmission. As a result, it is imperative that everyone, including adults and children, practices good personal hygiene and washes hands properly and regularly to reduce the risk of transmission.

Taiwan CDC once again urges parents to pay close attention to the symptoms of the child diagnosed with enterovirus infection, if 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 for medical attention immediately in order to ensure prompt treatment. For more information about enterovirus, please call the toll-free Communicable Disease Reporting and Care Hotline, 1922, operated by Taiwan CDC or visit the Taiwan CDC website at http://www.cdc.gov.tw.