Dengue infections exceed 10,000: CDC

ON ALERT:
Although new cases were about the same as the previous week, the transmission risk remains high, so people should stay cautious, an official said

• By Lee I-chia / Staff reporter

More than 2,000 local dengue infections were reported last week for a total of more than 10,000 cases this year, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said yesterday, adding that three dengue deaths and eight influenza-related deaths were confirmed last week.

CDC Epidemic Intelligence Center Deputy Director Lee Chia-lin (李佳琳) said that 2,024 local dengue cases were reported last week, with 1,855 cases in Tainan, 82 in Kaohsiung, 27 in Yunlin County and 20 in Pingtung County, along with sporadic cases in 10 other administrative regions.

A total of 10,496 local dengue cases have been reported this year, which is the second-highest for the period in a decade, Lee said, adding that cases in several Southeast Asian countries are also higher than the same period in recent years.

Eleven cases of severe dengue infections and three deaths from the disease were confirmed last week, CDC physician Lin Yung-ching (林詠青) said.

The deceased were women aged 60 to 90 living in Tainan, two of whom had underlying health conditions including diabetes, hypertension and kidney disease, Lin said.

They all experienced common dengue symptoms, such as fever and muscle pain, for several days before they were rushed to a hospital for worse symptoms, including diarrhea, pneumonia, cardiomyopathy, altered state of consciousness and symptoms of shock, he said.

Two died one day after being hospitalized, while another died of multiple organ failure after being hospitalized for a week, he said.

Elderly people and those with chronic illness are at higher risk of developing severe complications from dengue infection, so they should seek to prevent mosquito bites and watch out for signs of severe illness if they are infected, Lin said.

CDC Deputy Director-General and spokesperson Tseng Shu-hui (曾淑慧) said that although the number of new reported cases was about the same as the previous week, transmission risk remains high, so the centers urges people to clear areas prone to mosquito breeding during the Mid-Autumn Festival long weekend.

National Taiwan University Department of Entomology professor emeritus Hsu Err-lieh (徐爾烈) said that mosquitoes carrying the dengue virus can transmit it throughout their life, which is about one to one-and-a-half months.

“Without vaccines or specific treatment for dengue, the most effective method to prevent it is to eliminate mosquitoes, especially in dengue hot spots,” he said, adding that while most people are worried that insecticides are harmful to their health, it still an effective measure for eliminating mosquitoes.

Under the strict control of health and environmental agencies, pyrethrins can be used for indoor spraying, as they are relatively harmless to mammals under normal conditions and break down more easily than other pesticides, but are effective against insects, he said.

However, some people might have an allergic reaction to pyrethrins, so during indoor spraying, all people and pets should leave the area, cover fish tanks, and store away food, utensils and clothing.

Residents can safely return to the indoor space about an hour after spraying, open windows to improve ventilation, and use a wet cloth or mop to clean floors and other surfaces, he said.

Organophosphate insecticides are not to be sprayed indoors, but are used to kill mosquito larvae, he said.

Separately, the CDC said that 109,054 visits for flu-like illnesses, 39 severe cases of flu and eight flu-related deaths were reported last week.

Tseng said that while flu cases continue to increase, they are expected to slow down after government-funded flu vaccination begins next week.