The keys to addressing a potential worldwide influenza pandemic include early response, cooperation between countries and preparation, Department of Health (DOH) officials said yesterday in a briefing on discussions that took place at a World Health Organization (WHO) meeting in Japan.
After receiving a last-minute invitation, Taiwanese officials were able to attend the meeting on bird flu in Tokyo last Thursday and Friday.
It was the eighth WHO meeting relating to bird flu in three months, and 130 representatives from 22 countries were present.
The head of the Center for Disease Control (CDC), Steve Kuo (郭旭崧), who was one of the three representatives to attend the meeting, said the nation's invitation to the meeting reflected the emphasis on international cooperation and closing any loopholes.
"Notions people have that the danger is over if a bird flu pandemic hasn't hit by March or April are misguided. This is just the beginning and we are preparing for a fight lasting at least three to five years," Kuo said.
Chief of the Division of Infectious Diseases at National Taiwan University Hospital Chang Shan-chwen (張上淳) said there was a consensus that the key to preventing the spread of infection was detection, quarantine and giving medicine to people the sick had come into contact with.
A controversial issue that arose at the meeting centered on the stockpiling and use of Tamiflu, with officials debating whether stockpiles of the drug should be used for treatment or prevention.
Kuo said that the pharmaceutical company Roche has donated 300,0000 courses of Tamiflu, 150,0000 of which are stored in Switzerland, and 150,0000 of which are stored in the US.
Asian countries expressed concern that there was no stockpile in Asia, the hot zone for bird flu.
According to Kuo, Japan said it would donate 50,0000 courses of Tamiflu to the Asia region, regardless of the fact that decisions about stockpiling in Asia had not been finalized.
EU members said that arguments about where to stockpile medication were muddying the issue and that the important issue was how countries would deliver medication to affected areas -- which may be very remote -- and the early detection of cases.
Chang said at present it takes an average of 16.7 days for bird flu cases to be reported to the WHO, with over half of the cases taking more than 14 days to be reported. One goal was to have the cases reported within two weeks.
Another issue discussed was the need for China to be "transparent" about human bird flu cases, unlike what happened during the SARS outbreak.
Kuo said that while China has been very open regarding its bird flu status up until now, there could be no guarantee that the government would have knowledge of all bird flu cases given the country's size.
Kuo also reported that Taiwan received 80,000 doses of Tamiflu from Roche the day before yesterday, and that by the end of June the nation should have reached its target of having enough Tamiflu to supply 10 percent of the population, or 2.3 million courses.
Also see story:
‘DENIAL DEFENSE’: The US would increase its military presence with uncrewed ships, and submarines, while boosting defense in the Indo-Pacific, a Pete Hegseth memo said The US is reorienting its military strategy to focus primarily on deterring a potential Chinese invasion of Taiwan, a memo signed by US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth showed. The memo also called on Taiwan to increase its defense spending. The document, known as the “Interim National Defense Strategic Guidance,” was distributed this month and detailed the national defense plans of US President Donald Trump’s administration, an article in the Washington Post said on Saturday. It outlines how the US can prepare for a potential war with China and defend itself from threats in the “near abroad,” including Greenland and the Panama
The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) is maintaining close ties with Beijing, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) said yesterday, hours after a new round of Chinese military drills in the Taiwan Strait began. Political parties in a democracy have a responsibility to be loyal to the nation and defend its sovereignty, DPP spokesman Justin Wu (吳崢) told a news conference in Taipei. His comments came hours after Beijing announced via Chinese state media that the Chinese People’s Liberation Army’s Eastern Theater Command was holding large-scale drills simulating a multi-pronged attack on Taiwan. Contrary to the KMT’s claims that it is staunchly anti-communist, KMT Deputy
RESPONSE: The government would investigate incidents of Taiwanese entertainers in China promoting CCP propaganda online in contravention of the law, the source said Taiwanese entertainers living in China who are found to have contravened cross-strait regulations or collaborated with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) could be subject to fines, a source said on Sunday. Several Taiwanese entertainers have posted on the social media platform Sina Weibo saying that Taiwan “must be returned” to China, and sharing news articles from Chinese state media. In response, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) has asked the Ministry of Culture to investigate whether the entertainers had contravened any laws, and asked for them to be questioned upon their return to Taiwan, an official familiar with the matter said. To curb repeated
Myanmar has turned down an offer of assistance from Taiwanese search-and-rescue teams after a magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck the nation on Friday last week, saying other international aid is sufficient, the National Fire Agency said yesterday. More than 1,700 have been killed and 3,400 injured in the quake that struck near the central Myanmar city of Mandalay early on Friday afternoon, followed minutes later by a magnitude 6.7 aftershock. Worldwide, 13 international search-and-rescue teams have been deployed, with another 13 teams mobilizing, the agency said. Taiwan’s search-and-rescue teams were on standby, but have since been told to stand down, as