On February 24, 2012, the Taiwan Centers for Disease Control (Taiwan CDC) announced one new case of enterovirus 71 infection with severe complications. The case is a one-year-and-ten-month-old boy who resides in northern Taiwan. During mid-February, 2012, the case began to develop symptoms pertaining to enterovirus infection, including fever and oral ulcer. Subsequently, he developed prodromal signs of complications, including decreased activity and myoclonus. Fortunately, he was promptly rushed to a large hospital for medical treatment. As of now, he has recovered and been discharged from the hospital. Taiwan CDC warns that the EV71 epidemic has still not abated. As of February 23, a total of 12 cases of enterovirus infection with severe complications have been reported this year. It is anticipated that the number of enterovirus cases, including enterovirus infection with severe complications, will increase as the weather gets warmer in March and April.

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, 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.