A man in his 50s earlier this month became the first person in 18 years to die of malaria in Taiwan, after returning from a trip to Nigeria, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said yesterday.
The death was confirmed last week, CDC Epidemic Intelligence Center Deputy Director Lee Chia-lin (李佳琳) said.
The man was in Nigeria from mid-October to late last month, but did not take prophylactic treatment before departing for Africa, CDC physician Lin Yung-ching (林詠青) said.
Photo: Chiu Chih-jou, Taipei Times
He developed a fever and chills two days after returning to Taiwan, and sought treatment the next day, Lin said.
After developing chest tightness and pain, nausea, loss of appetite, difficulty breathing and cold sweats, he went to a hospital, where he was sent to the emergency room due to heart palpitations and low blood pressure, the physician said.
The man was found to have thrombocytopenia, abnormal liver function, jaundice and a high inflammatory index, but tested negative for dengue fever and seasonal flu, he said.
Although he was hospitalized, his health deteriorated rapidly, as he developed a headache, neck stiffness and impaired consciousness, Lin said, adding that he was diagnosed with malaria caused by Plasmodium falciparum.
The man developed neurological complications and died of multiple organ failure, cerebral edema and septic shock six days after the onset of symptoms, he said.
Five imported cases of malaria have been reported in Taiwan this year: two from Ethiopia, and one each from Ivory Coast, India and Nigeria, Lee said.
Seventy-three malaria cases, all imported, have been confirmed in Taiwan since 2014, and 67 percent of those with the disease were aged 21 to 50, she said, adding that most of them contracted it in Africa.
Malaria is an infectious disease caused by parasites transmitted through mosquitoes, Lin said, adding that the incubation period varies from seven to 30 days.
It is not endemic to Taiwan, but as the incubation period can be long, people should inform their doctor if they have recently traveled to a malaria area and began feeling ill even after returning home.
Malaria caused by P falciparum is the most fatal form of the disease if left untreated, CDC Deputy Director-General Philip Lo (羅一鈞) said.
While malaria can be cured, treatment is not guaranteed to work, he said.
The best method for preventing malaria is to visit a travel medicine clinic for a consultation and to take prophylactic medicine before traveling, Lo said.
National Taiwan University Training Center for Travel Medicine chief executive officer Lu Chia-wen (盧佳文) said the four types of prophylaxis for malaria are doxycycline, atovaquone-proguanil (Malarone), mefloquine and hydroxychloroquine, but the first three are more commonly prescribed.
People should start their prophylaxis treatment one to two days or one or two weeks before traveling to an area with malaria, depending on the medication, and one to four weeks after returning, according to the prescription, Lu said.
People should not wait until the last minute to visit a travel medicine clinic, but instead book an appointment at least two to four weeks before traveling, she said, adding that there are 32 CDC-contracted travel medicine clinics in Taiwan.
Taiwan’s passport ranked 34th in the world, with access to 141 visa-free destinations, according to the latest update to the Henley Passport Index released today. The index put together by Henley & Partners ranks 199 passports globally based on the number of destinations holders can access without a visa out of 227, and is updated monthly. The 141 visa-free destinations for Taiwanese passport holders are a slight decrease from last year, when holders had access to 145 destinations. Botswana and Columbia are among the countries that have recently ended visa-free status for Taiwanese after “bowing to pressure from the Chinese government,” the Ministry
Theaters and institutions in Taiwan have received 28 threatening e-mails, including bomb threats, since a documentary critical of China began being screened across the nation last month, the National Security Bureau said yesterday. The actions are part of China’s attempts to undermine Taiwan’s sovereignty, it said. State Organs (國有器官) documents allegations that Chinese government officials engage in organ harvesting and other illegal activities. From last month to Friday last week, 28 incidents have been reported of theaters or institutions receiving threats, including bomb and shooting threats, if they did not stop showing the documentary, the bureau said. Although the threats were not carried out,
HEALTHCARE: Following a 2022 Constitutional Court ruling, Taiwanese traveling overseas for six months would no longer be able to suspend their insurance Measures allowing people to suspend National Health Insurance (NHI) services if they plan to leave the country for six months would be abolished starting Dec. 23, NHIA Director-General Shih Chung-liang (石崇良) said yesterday. The decision followed the Constitutional Court’s ruling in 2022 that the regulation was unconstitutional and that it would invalidate the regulation automatically unless the NHIA amended it to conform with the Constitution. The agency would amend the regulations to remove the articles and sections that allow the suspension of NHI services, and also introduce provisional clauses for those who suspended their NHI services before Dec. 23, Shih said. According to
‘GRAY ZONE’ TACTICS: China continues to build up its military capacity while regularly deploying jets and warships around Taiwan, with the latest balloon spotted on Sunday The US is drawing up contingency plans for military deployments in Japan and the Philippines in case of a Taiwan emergency, Japan’s Kyodo news agency reported. They would be incorporated in a first joint operation plan to be formulated in December, Kyodo reported late on Sunday, citing sources familiar with Japan-US relations. A US Marine Corps regiment that possesses High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems — a light multiple rocket launcher — would be deployed along the Nansei Island chain stretching from Kyushu to Yonaguni near Taiwan, Kyodo said. According to US military guidelines for dispatching marines in small formations to several locations,
RSS