With the Lunar New Year ushering in a host of feasting with family and friends, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reminded people to practice good hand hygiene while the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued food safety tips.
Hospital visits for acute diarrhea usually increase during the Lunar New Year holiday, and recent disease surveillance data show a rising trend in the number of diarrhea cases, the CDC said.
There were 187,282 hospital visits for diarrhea in the week from Jan. 12 to Jan. 18, higher than the same weeks from 2020 to last year — which ranged from 102,371 to 158,399 visits, the centers said.
Photo: Lee Wen-te, Taipei Times
Similarly, there were 246 clusters of diarrhea cases reported in four recent weeks (from Dec. 22 to Jan. 18), also higher than the same period last year, which only had 53 clusters, it said.
Among 136 clusters that were tested for pathogens, 133 (97.8 percent) had norovirus infection, while the other two were found with pathogenic bacteria, it said.
The main symptoms of gastroenteritis (stomach flu) are watery diarrhea and vomiting, but sometimes it can also cause a fever, abdominal cramps, nausea and other symptoms, the CDC said, adding that usually the symptoms last for one to two days, but can take as long as 10 days.
The symptoms of stomach flu vary depending on the pathogen, the amount of contaminated food consumed, and the age and health condition of the patient, the centers said, adding that young children, elderly people and people with weakened immune systems are at a higher risk of being seriously ill.
The CDC urged people to frequently wash their hands with soap before meals and handling food, and after using the toilet, use serving utensils to transfer food to personal plates, and avoid eating raw or undercooked eggs, meat and seafood.
People with stomach flu symptoms should avoid handling food, and are advised to see a doctor or rest at home, while reducing direct contact with elderly people and young children, it added.
The centers also reminded people who have vomiting or diarrhea symptoms to stay at home to rest and wait at least 48 hours after symptoms are gone before returning to work or school.
Meanwhile, the FDA said that whether they are feasting at home or in a restaurant, people should follow food safety practices to avoid food poisoning.
People should dress open wounds and thoroughly wash their hands before handling food, pay attention to freshness and the expiration dates of food ingredients and avoid buying too much, separate raw and cooked foods to prevent cross-contamination, and cook food to a minimum internal temperature of 70°C to kill most harmful bacteria, it said.
Leftover food from home-cooked meals or from dining out should be refrigerated at 7°C or below, while high-risk foods should be kept at or below 5°C, the FDA said, adding that it should be reheated thoroughly before being consumed.
As many enjoy hiking during the holiday, the FDA reminded people not to drink mountain spring water directly, or eat unknown wild animals or plants.
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