According to the surveillance data compiled by the Taiwan Centers for Disease Control (Taiwan CDC), the number of enterovirus infections reported has been on the decline. However, the enterovirus epidemic is still at its peak. Enterovirus 71 remains the dominant virus strain circulating in the community and enterovirus infections with severe complications have continued to be detected. In addition, there are ongoing enterovirus outbreaks in neighboring countries, including China and Southeast Asian countries. Deaths from enterovirus infections continue to be reported. The epidemic remains rampant. Hence, Taiwan CDC would like to remind the public to pay attention to personal and child hygiene and wash hands frequently to effectively decrease the chance of enterovirus infection, especially when visiting the affected countries.

On July 17, 2012, Taiwan CDC announced six new cases of enterovirus 71 infection with severe complications. The cases are an eleven-month-old boy and a one-year-and-seven-month-old boy who reside in northern Taiwan, an eleven-month-old boy who resides in central Taiwan, and a six-month-old boy, a three-year-and-ten-month-old boy and a one-year-old girl who reside in southern Taiwan. Of the cases, five have recovered and been discharged from the hospital. The eleven-month-old boy who resides in central Taiwan is still currently receiving treatment in the hospital. According to the epidemiological investigation, the three-year-and-ten-month-old boy and the one-year-old girl who reside in southern Taiwan are siblings and other children in the same family have been previously infected with enterovirus. Therefore, it is determined that the two cases got their infection from their family members. As of July 16, a total of 102 cases of enterovirus infection with severe complications have been reported this year. Of the cases, 99 were infected with enterovirus 71, including one death.

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. In addition, many people who are infected with enterovirus do not develop symptoms or experience only mild flu-like symptoms. Therefore, when a child in a household is diagnosed with enterovirus infection, 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 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.