Taipei: Influenza is expected to peak in mid-September after flu-related outpatient and emergency room visits accounted for 10.5 percent of all visits last week, the Taiwan Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said Tuesday. The number of outpatient and emergency room visits has gradually increased over the past four weeks, following an uptick in early July, bringing the rate close to the epidemic threshold, CDC spokesperson Lin Ming-cheng stated at a news briefing.
According to Focus Taiwan, most of the patients were young children and people aged 65 and older. There has also been a simultaneous rise in upper respiratory tract infection clusters, with influenza-positive clusters predominantly testing positive for Type A and mainly concentrated in densely populated areas. Recent community virus surveillance indicates that Type A (H1N1) is the most common strain, accounting for 57 percent of influenza virus cases detected.
CDC data reveals that un-vaccinated individuals aged 65 and older with chronic diseases accounted for the majority of severe cases and deaths. With the resumption of classes in September, the CDC anticipates accelerated transmission, leading to the projection that influenza might peak in mid-September.
Government-funded flu medication is available at about 4,000 contracted clinics and hospitals nationwide. Lin urged people with symptoms to seek prompt medical attention.