According to the surveillance data compiled by the Taiwan Centers for Disease Control (Taiwan CDC), the number of enterovirus infection reported has been on the decline for the past two weeks. However, the hot and humid weather during the summer time favors the growth and transmission of enterovirus. Therefore, enterovirus activity is expected to persist. Taiwan CDC urges caregivers of children to practice good personal hygiene and wash hands properly and regularly in order to minimize infection.

On June 12, 2012, Taiwan CDC announced five new cases of enterovirus 71 infection with severe complications. The cases respectively are a four-month-old boy, a nine-month-old boy, an one-year-old girl and a two-year-and-five-month-old boy who reside in northern Taiwan, and a three-year-and-five-month-old boy who resides in southern Taiwan.   During late May, they developed symptoms pertaining to enterovirus infection, including fever, oral ulcer, and rashes on limbs. Subsequently, they developed prodromal signs of complications, including drowsiness, decreased activity, myoclonus, tachycardia, weakness of limbs and vomiting. Fortunately, they all sought prompt medical treatment and have all recovered. As of June 11, a total of 65 cases of enterovirus infection with severe complications have been reported this year. Of the cases, 64 were infected with enterovirus 71 and one was infected with echovirus.

Infants and children under the age of 5 are at the highest risk for complications. Parents are advised not to bring young children to crowded public places to avoid infection. Child care facilities are advised to reinforce the importance of frequent hand washing and good hand washing technique for all children, clean and disinfect the environment regularly, and follow the government’s policies to report cases and suspend classes accordingly. When a child in a household is diagnosed with enterovirus infection, please refrain the sick child from close contact with other children.

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. 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, 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.