TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan is currently facing simultaneous outbreaks of COVID-19, influenza, and enterovirus, as reported by the Taiwan Centers for Disease Control (CDC) on Tuesday (June 25). The country has witnessed a disturbing rise in COVID-19 cases, with 817 severe cases recorded last week alone, including two one-year-old boys. This marks the third week of significant COVID-19 impacts on children, with the CDC anticipating an early peak in July that could persist for one to two months.
Amid its sixth Omicron wave, Taiwan has seen a consistent increase in severe COVID-19 cases over the past five weeks, culminating in a 30% increase from the previous week and 40 additional deaths. CDC Deputy Director-General Tseng Shu-hui (曾淑慧) noted that while the frequency of severe cases among children has been consistent for three weeks, the scale of complications is not unprecedented compared to previous years. Despite a slight deceleration in new cases, a mid-July peak is expected, followed by a stable period of one to two months, with a potential uptick as schools reopen in September.
In addition to COVID-19, Taiwan is also battling a resurgence of influenza and enterovirus. The CDC reported 77 new severe influenza cases and ten deaths last week, marking the first summer flu outbreak in seven years. Simultaneously, enterovirus cases have risen by 5.7% in the last week, as measured by emergency department visits. The CDC has issued reminders for the public to use home COVID-19 test kits for symptoms like fever and cough and has advised parents to watch for severe symptoms in children under five, who are particularly susceptible to enterovirus.