On November 1, 2013, the Taiwan Centers for Disease Control (Taiwan CDC) announced this season’s second dengue hemorrhagic fever case. As of October 31, 2013, a cumulative total of 214 indigenous dengue cases have been confirmed this dengue season. Among the indigenous dengue cases, 197 cases have been confirmed in Pingtung County, 8 cases have been confirmed in Taipei City, 6 cases have been confirmed in Kaohsiung City, and 3 cases have been in other cities and counties. Taiwan CDC advises people who have chronic diseases and those who have been previously infected with one or more types of dengue virus to take prevention measures against mosquito bites to prevent dengue infection from worsening existing chronic illnesses and dengue hemorrhagic fever. 

The new indigenous dengue hemorrhagic fever case is a 77-year-old male who resides in Pingtung City, Pingtung County that has been previously infected with dengue fever and has a history of high blood pressure and diabetes. On October 18, he developed fever, headache, muscle ache, joint pain, back pain and bone pain and rashes. On October 28, he was immediately hospitalized in the intensive care ward when he sought medical attention and was reported to the healthy authority as a dengue fever case. On October 31, the case was transferred to a general ward. Currently, the case is recovering well.

According to statistics compiled by Taiwan CDC, the mortality rate associated with dengue hemorrhagic fever in Taiwan during the past decade is approximately 20% (23/128). Hence, Taiwan CDC urges people who have been previously infected with one or more types of dengue virus and those with chronic diseases such as high blood pressure, diabetes and liver disease to pay additional attention to dengue prevention and take personal precautions against mosquito bites to prevent dengue fever and consequently dengue hemorrhagic fever. Additionally, if symptoms such as fever, headache, fatigue, retroorbital pain, myalgia, and arthragia develop, please seek immediate medical attention and inform the doctor of any recent travel history and activity to facilitate prompt diagnosis and case reporting.

Taiwan CDC stresses that everyone needs to participate in dengue control efforts in order to successfully contain the epidemic and urges the public to stay vigilant against dengue fever and take necessary measures such as draining water containers and cleaning up vector breeding sites around their residences as well as preventing mosquito bites to effectively prevent the spread of dengue fever and dengue hemorrhagic fever and protect their health and the health of their family. On the other hand, the physicians are advised to be vigilant for and notify any suspected cases to the health authority immediately to prevent further spread of the disease. For more information on dengue fever, please call the toll-free Communicable Disease Reporting and Care Hotline, 1922, or 0800-001922 if calling from a cell phone, or visit the Taiwan CDC’s website at http://www.cdc.gov.tw.