Taipei: Taiwan may see an uptick in influenza cases starting December, with infections likely to peak around the Lunar New Year, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said Tuesday. CDC spokesperson Tseng Shu-hui stated that from November 9-15, 93,247 individuals sought outpatient or emergency care for influenza-like symptoms, indicating a 9.1 percent decrease from the previous week. However, Tseng noted that there were 42 severe influenza cases reported over the past week, with 10 fatalities.
According to Focus Taiwan, CDC Epidemic Intelligence Center Deputy Director Lee Chia-lin warned that neighboring countries, including China, South Korea, and Japan, are experiencing rising flu cases. Lee specifically highlighted Japan, which recorded nearly 1.5 times more cases last week compared to the previous week, urging travelers to get vaccinated before visiting.
Lee mentioned that Japan's flu season has mirrored Taiwan's this year, with both countries entering their epidemic periods between late September and early October, approximately a month earlier than usual. She attributed this earlier onset to a change in the dominant strain from H1N1 to H3N2, decreased immunity following the COVID-19 pandemic, increased international travel, and reduced mask usage.
Since October, Taiwan has reported 300 severe influenza cases, resulting in 35 deaths, Lee stated. She added that the majority of severe cases involved individuals aged 65 and older, as well as those with chronic conditions, with 95 percent of the severely affected patients not vaccinated for the current flu season.