TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Typhoon Kong-rey has heightened the risk of dengue fever, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC, 疾病管制署), which urged residents on Friday (Nov. 1) to clear standing water.
The CDC highlighted that the heavy rains from the typhoon have created optimal conditions for mosquito breeding, increasing the potential for disease spread.
The CDC advised against going barefoot or wearing slippers during cleanup to prevent infections such as leptospirosis, melioidosis, and tetanus.
Lo Yi-Chun (羅一鈞), a CDC spokesperson, noted that melioidosis bacteria reside in soil and can spread during storms. However, he mentioned that the risk of a melioidosis outbreak remains low due to minimal flooding in the central and southern regions during this typhoon.
This year, the CDC reported a record of 101 confirmed local melioidosis cases, 20 of which resulted in death. In contrast, dengue fever cases reached 244, with 80 infections occurring since the summer. Notably, the Zhonghe (中和) and Xindian (新店) areas have recorded 77 cluster cases.