Local "dengue fever" cases exceed 7,000! Is vaccination more likely to cause serious illness beforehand? Taiwan Centers for Disease Control: If you encounter 6 major symptoms, you should seek medical treatment as soon as possible
Taiwan’s “dengue fever” epidemic has spread, with a total of 9 deaths and 27 severe cases
The “Dengue fever” epidemic in Taiwan continues to spread. According to statistics from the Taiwan Centers for Disease Control, there were 2,127 new local cases of dengue fever in Taiwan last week (September 5 to September 11). On September 13, Taiwan had a total of 7,156 cases. local cases. As of the 11th, the cases were distributed in Tainan City with 5,760 cases, Yunlin County with 340 cases, Kaohsiung City with 243 cases, Pingtung County with 30 cases, Chiayi County and Taoyuan City with 16 cases each, New Taipei City and Taipei City with 13 cases each, and Taichung City with 12 cases. For example, there are 8 cases in Hsinchu City, 4 cases in Hsinchu County, 3 cases in Changhua County, 2 cases each in Miaoli County, Nantou County and Chiayi City.
In terms of severe cases, there have been a total of 27 cases this year, ranging in age from under 10 to over 80 years old, 17 cases in Tainan City and 10 cases in Yunlin County, with a total of 9 deaths; currently, the first and second types of COVID-19 have appeared in the community. For type 2 dengue virus, those who have been infected with dengue fever, the elderly and those at high risk must continue to pay attention to warning signs of severe disease and signs of bleeding. This year, there have been a total of 151 imported cases. The infection places are mainly in Southeast Asian countries, with 40 cases in Thailand, 25 cases in Vietnam and 23 cases in Indonesia.
Can the dengue virus be transmitted from person to person? Can sex and needle sharing also spread the disease?
Taiwan Centers for Disease Control further explains that dengue fever is caused by the dengue virus subgenus of the genus Flavivirus in the family Flaviviridae and is divided into four serotypes: I, II, III, and IV. There are different types, and each type has the ability to infect and cause disease. Currently, about half of the world’s population, nearly 3.9 billion people, live in dengue fever endemic areas. About 390 million people are infected with dengue fever every year, of which about 96 million suffer from clinical symptoms of varying severity.
In areas where dengue fever is endemic, only nine countries experienced severe dengue fever epidemics before 1970. It is currently prevalent in more than 100 countries in the World Health Organization’s Africa, Americas, Eastern Mediterranean, Southeast Asia and Western Pacific regions. The Americas, Southeast Asia and the Western Pacific are the most severely affected, with Asia accounting for 70% of the global disease burden.
Many people are worried about whether dengue fever will spread through “human-to-human transmission”? Taiwan Centers for Disease Control explains that there are two main types of dengue fever infections:
Transmission between humans and vector mosquitoes. The important vector mosquitoes in Taiwan are Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus. When people are bitten by vector mosquitoes carrying dengue virus and become infected, this is the main mode of transmission. When vector mosquitoes bite dengue fever patients who are in the contagious stage, they will also be infected with the virus. If the infected mosquito bites other healthy people, it will cause “community transmission”.
Other rare transmission routes. According to WHO data, if a mother is infected with dengue fever during pregnancy, the dengue virus may be transmitted vertically to the fetus during pregnancy or during delivery, causing fetal premature birth, low birth weight and death. In addition, dengue virus may also be transmitted through infected blood (such as blood transfusion, organ transplantation, acupuncture, etc.) or sexual behavior, but transmission through these methods is extremely rare.
Without immediate treatment, the mortality rate is as high as 20%! Taiwan Centers for Disease Control: If you have “6 major symptoms”, you should seek medical treatment as soon as possible
Taiwan Centers for Disease Control pointed out that the typical incubation period of dengue fever is about 3-14 days, usually 4-7 days; infection with dengue fever can cause varying degrees of host reactions, ranging from mild or unobvious symptoms to fever and rash. Typical dengue fever may include warning signs such as lethargy, restlessness, and liver enlargement, and may even lead to severe dengue fever with severe bleeding or severe organ damage.
Typical symptoms of dengue fever include sudden high fever, headache, posterior orbital pain, muscle pain, joint pain, and rash. However, if you are infected with different types of dengue virus successively, there is a higher chance of causing more serious complications. With severe symptoms, if there is no timely medical treatment or treatment, the mortality rate can be as high as more than 20%.
Not only empty the stagnant water, but also spray mosquito repellent frequently! 7 measures to keep in mind to prevent dengue fever at home
If you live in a dengue fever hotspot area, what dengue fever prevention methods can people take proactively? Taiwan Centers for Disease Control stated that dengue fever is a “community disease” and “environmental disease”, and vector mosquitoes are not selective in biting targets. Once the dengue virus enters the community and there is an environment where vector mosquitoes breed, dengue fever will become epidemic. possibility. Therefore, people should do a good job in eliminating the breeding sources of vector mosquitoes.
In addition, the general public should thoroughly understand the symptoms of dengue fever and proactively take the seven preventive measures against dengue fever at home. In addition to helping early medical treatment and proper treatment, you should also avoid being bitten by vector mosquitoes to reduce the possibility of “re-transmission” of dengue virus:
Container management and breeding source removal, remember the four principles of “patrolling, pouring, cleaning, and brushing” to remove breeding sources.
“Inspection”: Frequent inspections to check containers inside and outside the home that may accumulate water.
“Pour”: Pour away the accumulated water and recycle unnecessary utensils.
“Clean”: Reduce the number of containers and the utensils used should be thoroughly clean.
“Brush”: Brush away insect eggs, put them away or put them upside down so that no more water accumulates to breed mosquitoes.
Remove unnecessary containers, such as large waste containers such as discarded tires, bathtubs or aquariums. Please contact the cleaning team of the environmental protection unit to assist in removal.
Turn vases, containers, etc. that are not in use temporarily, upside down, and cover them or seal them with fine gauze when in use.
The vases and water containers at home must be cleaned once a week, and remember to scrub the inner walls when cleaning.
Dark areas, basements, eaves drains or ditches at home should be inspected and cleaned regularly.
Screen windows and doors should be installed at home; mosquito nets can be hung or mosquito repellent lamps can be used when sleeping to avoid mosquito bites.
When going to outdoor environments such as markets, parks or vegetable orchards on weekdays, it is advisable to wear light-colored long-sleeved clothing, and use mosquito repellent containing DEET, Picaridin or IR3535 approved by the government authority on exposed parts of the body or clothing.
If people return from dengue fever endemic areas, they should self-monitor their health for 14 days. If they have fever, headache, posterior orbital pain, muscle pain, joint pain, bone headache, rash and other suspected symptoms, please seek medical treatment as soon as possible and inform the doctor that you are Travel activity history and exposure history. In addition, those who have left the country from dengue fever endemic areas should postpone blood donation for 4 weeks. They can only donate blood 4 weeks after confirmed cases of dengue fever have recovered and become asymptomatic. Contacts of confirmed dengue fever cases should postpone blood donation for 4 weeks.
Is there a risk of serious illness if you are not infected with the vaccine? What dengue fever vaccines are available in Taiwan?
What should I do if I get dengue fever? What treatments are available? Can I get vaccinated? Taiwan Centers for Disease Control stated that there are currently no antiviral drugs for the prevention and treatment of dengue fever, and they can only diagnose and treat symptoms. However, Taiwan does have “CYD-TDV” dengue fever vaccine available. This vaccine is the Dengvaxia® active attenuated vaccine produced by Sanofi Pasteur Pharmaceuticals in France. It can protect 4 serotypes and is suitable for children and adults aged 9-45. People who have been infected with dengue virus are effective and safe. However, people who have not been infected can naturally become infected with dengue fever after vaccination, and the risk of severe dengue fever increases.
In addition, “TAK-003” is a dengue fever vaccine launched in August 2022. It is a QDENGA® live attenuated vaccine produced by Japan’s Takeda Pharmaceutical Factory. It can protect 4 serotypes and is suitable for ages 6-45 ( Indonesia) and children and adults over 4 years old (European Union), regardless of whether they have been infected with dengue virus or not, can receive this vaccine without pre-vaccination screening. It has been approved for listing in Indonesia and the European Union, but has not yet been approved for listing in Taiwan.
Taiwan Centers for Disease Control reminds that the local dengue fever epidemic continues. As the number of cases increases, severe cases and deaths also appear one after another. The public is requested to cooperate with the government in implementing prevention and control efforts and pay attention to their own health conditions, such as fever, headache, posterior orbital pain, muscle pain, etc. When you have suspected symptoms such as joint pain, be sure to seek medical treatment as soon as possible and inform the doctor of your travel and activity history. If you are infected with dengue fever, you must follow the doctor’s advice on treatment, take medication, replenish fluids and get plenty of rest, and use mosquito nets or mosquito repellents to avoid further mosquito bites and reduce the risk of disease transmission.
Source:
Disease Introduction: Dengue Fever - Taiwan Ministry of Health and Welfare, Centers for Disease Control
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