The Taiwan Centers for Disease Control (Taiwan CDC) announces that although the number of influenza cases is currently in decline, the peak of the influenza season has approached.Taiwan CDC urges the public to take precautions against influenza such as washing hands regularly and practicing good cough and sneeze etiquette to prevent influenza infection.If symptoms of influenza develop, please seek immediate medical attention.In addition, physicians are advised to promptly prescribe antiviral drugs to cases that meet the medical criteria for antiviral treatment to reduce the risk of severe complications from influenza infection.

As the peak of influenza season has occurred, besides severe cases, cases with a history of chronic disease and cases with ILI and signs of severe complications, Taiwan CDC has expanded the target population for government-funded antiviral therapy beginning January 25, 2011.Simultaneously, Taiwan CDC has released and distributed 100,000 treatment courses of antiviral drugs to 880 clinics and hospitals prescribing the antiviral drugs to ensure patients who are most in need of the drug can get the drug.The target population for government-funded antiviral therapy includes reported influenza cases with severe complications, patients with influenza-like illness (ILI) and signs of severe complications, patients with ILI and major illness and injury or cardiopulmonary disease, liver disease, kidney disease and diabetes, pregnant women with ILI who are decided to need the drug by a physician, obese patients with ILI, recognized cluster cases of ILI, and H5N1 cases under investigation.

If signs of severe complications such as shortness of breath, breathing difficulty, cyanosis, blood-stained mucus or thickening of mucus, chest pain, change of consciousness, low blood pressure or high fever that persists for more than 48 hours develop, please seek medical advice immediately.Further, physicians are urged to stay vigilant against influenza and prescribe prompt antiviral drugs to patients meeting the criteria for antiviral therapy.

Taiwan CDC once again reminds the public that vaccination is the single most effective way to prevent influenza infection. The current dominant influenza virus strain circulating in the community is H1N1, which highly matches the vaccine strain.A total of 124,000 doses of government-funded influenza vaccine remain available, including 11,000 doses of adult influenza vaccine and 113,000 doses of pediatric influenza vaccine.However, protective immunity develops 2 to 3 weeks after vaccination.Hence, the public is reminded once again to pay attention to personal hygiene, wash hands regularly and practice good cough and sneeze etiquette.If respiratory symptoms develop, please rest at home as much as possible or wear a mask when going out to prevent further transmission of the virus.

Taiwan CDC recommends employers and institution managers to encourage employees and students to wash hands regularly and practice good cough and sneeze etiquette, and ask employees and students to stay at home when sick to prevent worsening of the condition and transmission of the virus.