The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) yesterday said that a surge in respiratory illnesses in China has been caused by at least seven types of pathogens, and small children, elderly people and immunocompromised people should temporarily avoid unnecessary visits to China.
The recent outbreak of respiratory illnesses in China is mainly in the north and among children, CDC Deputy Director-General Philip Lo (羅一鈞) said on Monday.
Data released by the Chinese National Health Commission on Sunday showed that among children aged one to four, the main pathogens were influenza viruses and rhinoviruses, while among children aged five to 14, the main pathogens were flu viruses, Mycoplasma pneumoniae bacteria and adenoviruses, Lo said.
Photo: Lin Hui-chin, Taipei Times
It also showed that among people aged 15 to 59, the main pathogens were flu viruses, rhinoviruses and SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19), while among people aged 60 or older, the main pathogens were flu viruses, human metapneumoviruses and coronaviruses, he said.
“As temperatures continue to drop, respiratory illnesses in China are expected to continue to increase. The CDC will closely monitor the surge and data released by China to draft disease prevention measures for the Lunar New Year holiday,” Lo said.
As the surge has put a strain on healthcare services in China and making an outpatient appointments could be more difficult, the CDC recommends that young children, elderly people and those with compromised immune systems avoid unnecessary travel to China, Lo said.
If they must visit China, the CDC suggests that they get flu and COVID-19 vaccines before traveling, maintain proper hygiene, wear a mask and wash their hands frequently, he added.
Asked if the surge in China has affected Taiwan, Lo said the weekly reported numbers for flu-like illnesses in Taiwan have dropped for seven consecutive weeks.
Of the identified respiratory viruses in Taiwan in the past four weeks, the most common were flu viruses (32 percent), followed by adenoviruses (26 percent) and parainfluenza viruses (14 percent), he said.
Mycoplasma pneumoniae, which people are worried about, is not a virus, and data from a medical center shows that it accounted for less than 1 percent of the respiratory illnesses identified at hospital, he said.
However, Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection usually causes milder symptoms than the flu, so people might visit clinics for treatment, he said, adding that, in general, an upsurge in respiratory illnesses has not been observed in Taiwan.
EVA Air is prohibiting the use of portable chargers on board all flights starting from Saturday, while China Airlines is advising passengers not to use them, following the lead of South Korean airlines. Current regulations prohibit portable chargers and lithium batteries from check-in luggage and require them to be properly packed in carry-on baggage, EVA Air said. To improve onboard safety, portable chargers and spare lithium batteries would be prohibited from use on all fights starting on Saturday, it said. Passengers are advised to fully charge electronic devices before boarding and use the AC and USB charging outlets at their seat, it said. South
Hong Kong-based American singer-songwriter Khalil Fong (方大同) has passed away at the age of 41, Fong’s record label confirmed yesterday. “With unwavering optimism in the face of a relentless illness for five years, Khalil Fong gently and gracefully bid farewell to this world on the morning of February 21, 2025, stepping into the next realm of existence to carry forward his purpose and dreams,” Fu Music wrote on the company’s official Facebook page. “The music and graphic novels he gifted to the world remain an eternal testament to his luminous spirit, a timeless treasure for generations to come,” it said. Although Fong’s
WAR SIMULATION: The developers of the board game ‘2045’ consulted experts and analysts, and made maps based on real-life Chinese People’s Liberation Army exercises To stop invading Chinese forces seizing Taiwan, board gamer Ruth Zhong chooses the nuclear option: Dropping an atomic bomb on Taipei to secure the nation’s freedom and her victory. The Taiwanese board game 2045 is a zero-sum contest of military strategy and individual self-interest that puts players on the front lines of a simulated Chinese attack. Their battlefield game tactics would determine the theoretical future of Taiwan, which in the real world faces the constant threat of a Chinese invasion. “The most interesting part of this game is that you have to make continuous decisions based on the evolving situation,
China’s military buildup in the southern portion of the first island chain poses a serious threat to Taiwan’s liquefied natural gas (LNG) supply, a defense analyst warned. Writing in a bulletin on the National Defense and Security Research’s Web site on Thursday, Huang Tsung-ting (黃宗鼎) said that China might choke off Taiwan’s energy supply without it. Beginning last year, China entrenched its position in the southern region of the first island chain, often with Russia’s active support, he said. In May of the same year, a Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) force consisting of a Type 054A destroyer, Type 055 destroyer,
RSS