The first case of dengue fever in Miaoli County this year was reported by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) on Friday last week. It was not associated with a cluster of dengue cases in New Taipei City.
The cases of dengue fever in central and northern Taiwan are a warning sign, as local outbreaks usually occur in southern Taiwan, such as in Tainan, Kaohsiung and Pingtung. More than 80 percent of local dengue fever cases since 1998 were reported in these three cities and counties, CDC data showed.
Dengue fever is a mosquito-borne viral infection transmitted to humans through the bites of infected female mosquitoes, primarily Aedes aegypti, and Aedes albopictus, commonly known as the Asian tiger mosquito.
Aedes aegypti only appears south of the Tropic of Cancer due to its inability to survive the colder winter weather in northern Taiwan, while the Asian tiger mosquito occurs throughout the island.
Aedes aegypti is more often found indoors and is an anthropophilic and intermittent biter, often biting more than one person during its feeding period, making it a more efficient epidemic vector than the Asian tiger mosquito.
Meanwhile, as of last week, more than 60 dengue cases have been discovered in New Taipei City’s Jhonghe (中和) and Sindian (新店) districts since the first case was reported at the end of last month.
Several epidemiologists and dengue researchers have raised concerns over the possible expansion of Aedes aegypti’s habitat in Taiwan, which might lead to increased risk of local dengue fever outbreaks.
Some have suggested that closer monitoring of mosquito populations and more stringer control measures are needed, and the public is often reminded to remove standing water to prevent mosquitoes from breeding.
The National Health Research Institutes’ National Mosquito-Borne Diseases Control Research Center is monitoring whether Aedes aegypti can survive in Yunlin this winter.
The CDC on Oct. 7 convened a specialist meeting to discuss measures to prevent Aedes aegypti’s habitat from expanding northward if the center confirms it is possible.
CDC Director-General Chuang Jen-hsiang (莊人祥) on Wednesday visited Yunlin to discuss mosquito control measures with the local government.
The WHO reported an eightfold increase in global dengue cases between 2000 and 2019, rising from 505,430 to more than 5.2 million. This year, more than 13 million dengue fever cases and more than 8,500 dengue-related deaths have been reported by more than 80 countries, as of last month.
Although dengue fever typically spreads in tropical and subtropical climates, the US Centers for Disease Control in August warned that the virus is spreading, with recent trends showing an expansion of cases into previously unaffected areas, including parts of Europe and the US.
The WHO and many experts have pointed to the changing distribution of vector mosquitoes, with climate change being one contributing factor.
While most people have no symptoms or only mild illness from dengue fever, some might experience a sudden high fever, severe headaches, pain behind the eyes, nausea, vomiting or severe muscle and joint pain — thus the virus is also commonly known as “breakbone fever.”
As global warming and more extreme weather conditions brought by climate change are increasing the number of potential mosquito breeding sites, it is important that the public is made aware of the increased risks and routinely clean their communities to prevent them from becoming mosquito breeding sites.
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