The Centers for Disease Control yesterday confirmed that a postpartum care center in Taipei’s Shilin District (士林) is suspected to have delayed its reporting of a cluster of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infections.
The Chinese-language Mirror Media weekly yesterday reported that a cluster of RSV infections occurred at the Dianthus Postpartum Center Shilin, with 10 babies infected, adding that the center, which opened earlier this year, allegedly hid the information and did not report it to authorities.
CDC Deputy Director-General Lo Yi-chun (羅一鈞) later yesterday confirmed that between Sept. 24 and Oct. 4, 10 newborn babies at the center exhibited symptoms including fever, cough and a runny nose.
Tests confirmed they had contracted RSV, and the center reported the cluster to authorities on Wednesday last week, he said.
Three babies are still hospitalized, while seven have recovered and returned to their homes or are being quarantined at the center, he said.
RSV is highly contagious and clustered infections are likely, he said, adding that newborn babies are especially likely to become sick or even severely ill from the virus due to their weak immune systems.
Based on what he knew, the center is suspected to have delayed reporting, he said.
If found guilty, the center could be fined NT$10,000 to NT$150,000 under the Communicable Disease Control Act (傳染病防治法), he said, adding the Taipei Department of Health has been asked to investigate the case.
In a statement, the center said it asked its neonatologist to diagnose and treat the babies as soon as it discovered that they needed “strengthened attention.”
Apart from screening the symptoms, it also screened the babies and nurses for RSV and the flu, and those who tested positive were quarantined, it said.
It took infection control measures and reported the situation to health authorities according to the operation procedure and regulations, it said.
Although initial estimates show the infections were not caused by factors at the center, it has improved the way it handles individual infections, it said.
RSV is the main cause of severe cases of lower respiratory tract infections among infants, young children and older people, according to the National Health Research Institutes (NHRI).
Its threat is most marked in infants and young children, the NHRI said.
About 1,000 infants and young children in Taiwan are hospitalized each year due to RSV infections, it said, adding that up to 90 percent of them are under two years old.
It takes only two to three days for RSV symptoms to potentially develop from fever into respiratory distress, and in turn, pneumonia or bronchitis, it said, adding that RSV infections could even result in respiratory failure or death.
Five to 10 percent of RSV infections in children under five years old turn into severe conditions, it said, adding that the mortality rate of RSV is about 1 percent.
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