Measles vaccination coverage is relatively high in Taiwan, and there is no sign of a local large-scale measles outbreak, Taiwan Immunization Vision and Strategy chairman Lee Ping-ing (李秉穎) said yesterday.
Lee, who is also the convener of the Ministry of Health and Welfare’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, made the remark at a news conference in Taipei for the advocacy group when responding to questions about recent local measles cases.
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) on Tuesday reported that a cluster of measles cases linked to a hospital in central Taiwan had grown to 16 people, while a total of 33 measles cases have been reported nationwide so far this year, comprising 21 local cases and 12 imported cases.
Photo: CNA
The CDC said that 3,123 people who have had contact with the confirmed hospital cluster cases have been identified and monitored for symptoms, the highest number of contacts monitored for measles in five years.
Lee said there were several clusters of measles in Taiwan, but none had spread widely throughout the country, mainly because the nation’s measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccination coverage rate in children is more than 97 percent.
Taiwan’s vaccination policy has enabled it to better control the spread of measles, and so far the recent cluster cases have not shown signs of becoming a large-scale outbreak, he said.
Measles is a highly contagious viral disease in which a person can infect on average 12 to 18 people who lack immunity.
As the risk of airborne infection is lower than through direct contact or respiratory droplets, people should avoid close contact with people and crowded venues to prevent infection, Lee said.
The identified contacts should immediately report to their local health department if they develop symptoms of measles, and avoid seeking medical attention on their own, he said, adding that they are advised to wear a mask at most times and avoid going to public venues.
Separately, when asked for comment on the measles cases, Minister of Health and Welfare Chiu Tai-yuan (邱泰源) said that Taiwan’s high vaccination coverage among children makes it difficult for a large-scale outbreak to occur.
“The measles situation is under control, and the ministry would continue to monitor the situation and ensure preventive measures are in place,” he said.
Meanwhile, the centers do not recommend the public rush to get vaccinated at this time, unless they are in a high-risk group, CDC Deputy Director-General Tseng Shu-hui (曾淑慧) said.
“Not everyone needs to get vaccinated [now], but only those at higher risk,” Tseng said, adding that the CDC suggests that only three groups seek vaccinations.
The first group is children aged 12 months to five years, who are eligible for two doses of government-funded MMR vaccines, she said.
The first-dose rate coverage of this group has been about 98.7 percent, while the second-dose coverage is about 97.4 percent, she said.
The two groups recommended to seek out-of-pocket MMR vaccination are medical personnel born in or after 1981 who do have not had a positive measles antibody test result within five years and had received their last dose of an MMR vaccine at least 15 years ago; and people born in or after 1981 who are traveling to countries where measles is spreading, such as Vietnam, India or Cambodia, she said.
The latter group is advised to consult with a doctor before getting vaccinated, while measles is not known to be spreading in Japan or South Korea, she added.
A magnitude 4.9 earthquake struck off Tainan at 11:47am today, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The hypocenter was 32.3km northeast of Tainan City Hall at a depth of 7.3km, CWA data showed. The intensity of the quake, which gauges the actual effect of a seismic event, measured 4 in Tainan and Chiayi County on Taiwan's seven-tier intensity scale, the data showed. The quake had an intensity of 3 in Chiayi City and County, and Yunlin County, while it was measured as 2 in Kaohsiung, Nantou County, Changhua County, Taitung County and offshore Penghu County, the data showed. There were no immediate reports of
‘DENIAL DEFENSE’: The US would increase its military presence with uncrewed ships, and submarines, while boosting defense in the Indo-Pacific, a Pete Hegseth memo said The US is reorienting its military strategy to focus primarily on deterring a potential Chinese invasion of Taiwan, a memo signed by US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth showed. The memo also called on Taiwan to increase its defense spending. The document, known as the “Interim National Defense Strategic Guidance,” was distributed this month and detailed the national defense plans of US President Donald Trump’s administration, an article in the Washington Post said on Saturday. It outlines how the US can prepare for a potential war with China and defend itself from threats in the “near abroad,” including Greenland and the Panama
The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) is maintaining close ties with Beijing, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) said yesterday, hours after a new round of Chinese military drills in the Taiwan Strait began. Political parties in a democracy have a responsibility to be loyal to the nation and defend its sovereignty, DPP spokesman Justin Wu (吳崢) told a news conference in Taipei. His comments came hours after Beijing announced via Chinese state media that the Chinese People’s Liberation Army’s Eastern Theater Command was holding large-scale drills simulating a multi-pronged attack on Taiwan. Contrary to the KMT’s claims that it is staunchly anti-communist, KMT Deputy
RESPONSE: The government would investigate incidents of Taiwanese entertainers in China promoting CCP propaganda online in contravention of the law, the source said Taiwanese entertainers living in China who are found to have contravened cross-strait regulations or collaborated with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) could be subject to fines, a source said on Sunday. Several Taiwanese entertainers have posted on the social media platform Sina Weibo saying that Taiwan “must be returned” to China, and sharing news articles from Chinese state media. In response, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) has asked the Ministry of Culture to investigate whether the entertainers had contravened any laws, and asked for them to be questioned upon their return to Taiwan, an official familiar with the matter said. To curb repeated
RSS