The Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) yesterday said there has been increased bulk buying of Panadol pain relief medicine, causing a shortage in the market, but people who need the medicine are recommended to buy pain relief medicine that contains the same ingredient — acetaminophen — from other brands.
In a Cabinet meeting for COVID-19 prevention and response yesterday morning, the CECC said that although the Chinese government stopped releasing comprehensive data on new cases on Tuesday last week, many news outlets reported a shortage in fever and pain-relief drugs, as well as traditional herbal medicines, indicating an increase in the number of people with fever, so it is likely that COVID-19 cases are rising in China.
The Bureau of Consular Affairs has observed more people applying to renew their passports, and many people are expected to travel abroad or return to Taiwan from the year’s end to around the Lunar New Year next month, Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) said.
Photo: CNA
Deputy Minister of Health and Welfare Victor Wang (王必勝), who heads the center, said the center had seen an increase in bulk buying of Panadol, a common drug for reducing pain and fever, and it has contacted the brand’s distributor in Taiwan to ask it to increase its supply, but the distributor said Panadol is in tight supply in other countries too.
There are 47 permits for producing drugs with acetaminophen held by several drug companies, so people can buy the medicine produced by other brands if they cannot find Panadol, he said.
However, Wang urged people to only buy acetaminophen when needed, and to avoid buying the medicine in bulk.
The CECC yesterday reported 10,317 new local COVID-19 cases — 4.7 percent lower than that on Monday last week — as well as 48 imported cases and 23 deaths.
Wang said 107,315 local cases were confirmed last week, 6.7 percent higher than the week before, so whether the weekly cases continue to fluctuate, or start to escalate into another wave, is uncertain and requires further observation.
Centers for Disease Control Deputy Director-General Philip Lo (羅一鈞), deputy head of the CECC’s medical response division, said that of the 23 deceased, 16 had not been vaccinated.
Of the genome sequenced cases last week, 84 percent of the local cases were infected with the Omicron BA.5 subvariant of SARS-CoV-2, which remains the dominant strain in Taiwan, he said.
Although BA.5 infections accounted for 38 percent of the sequenced imported cases last week, 29 percent were infected with BA.2.75 and 17 percent were infected with BQ.1, he said.
Regarding whether new subvariants could enter Taiwan from China, where cases are surging, Lo said two sequenced imported cases from China last week were infected with the BF.7 strain, which has mainly been reported near Beijing, and another with BA.5.
Foreign travelers entering Taiwan on a short layover via Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport are receiving NT$600 gift vouchers from yesterday, the Tourism Administration said, adding that it hopes the incentive would boost tourism consumption at the airport. The program, which allows travelers holding non-Taiwan passports who enter the country during a layover of up to 24 hours to claim a voucher, aims to promote attractions at the airport, the agency said in a statement on Friday. To participate, travelers must sign up on the campaign Web site, the agency said. They can then present their passport and boarding pass for their connecting international
Temperatures in northern Taiwan are forecast to reach as high as 30°C today, as an ongoing northeasterly seasonal wind system weakens, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. CWA forecaster Tseng Chao-cheng (曾昭誠) said yesterday that with the seasonal wind system weakening, warmer easterly winds would boost the temperature today. Daytime temperatures in northern Taiwan and Yilan County are expected to range from 28°C to 30°C today, up about 3°C from yesterday, Tseng said. According to the CWA, temperature highs in central and southern Taiwan could stay stable. However, the weather is expected to turn cooler starting tonight as the northeasterly wind system strengthens again
COOLING OFF: Temperatures are expected to fall to lows of about 20°C on Sunday and possibly 18°C to 19°C next week, following a wave of northeasterly winds on Friday The Central Weather Administration (CWA) on Sunday forecast more rain and cooler temperatures for northern Taiwan this week, with the mercury dropping to lows of 18°C, as another wave of northeasterly winds sweeps across the country. The current northeasterly winds would continue to affect Taiwan through today, with precipitation peaking today, bringing increased rainfall to windward areas, CWA forecaster Liu Pei-teng (劉沛滕) said. The weather system would weaken slightly tomorrow before another, stronger wave arrives on Friday, lasting into next week, Liu said. From yesterday to today, northern Taiwan can expect cool, wet weather, with lows of 22°C to 23°C in most areas,
Taiwan sweltered through its hottest October on record, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday, the latest in a string of global temperature records. The main island endured its highest average temperature since 1950, CWA forecaster Liu Pei-teng said. Temperatures the world over have soared in recent years as human-induced climate change contributes to ever more erratic weather patterns. Taiwan’s average temperature was 27.381°C as of Thursday, Liu said. Liu said the average could slip 0.1°C by the end of yesterday, but it would still be higher than the previous record of 27.009°C in 2016. "The temperature only started lowering around Oct. 18 or 19
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