TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Health authorities on Tuesday (Jan. 7) reported four new measles cases in Taiwan, raising concerns over public health safety. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC, 疾病署) confirmed that two cases stemmed from a hospital cluster in central Taiwan, while the other two were imported from Vietnam and India. Patients visited public places in Taipei (台北市), Taichung (台中市), and Kaohsiung (高雄市) and used public transportation, prompting widespread alerts.
Taipei Veterans General Hospital (台北榮總) has implemented an alert system to notify medical staff of potential measles cases. Former hospital superintendent Chang Te-ming (張德明) emphasized the importance of wearing N95 masks and isolation gowns when treating suspected cases.
Health experts have highlighted the vulnerability of children under 5 to measles. Professor Chen Hsiu-hsi (陳秀熙) from National Taiwan University's College of Public Health recommends prioritizing this age group for vaccinations. Chen Yi-chun (陳宜君), director of the National Health Research Institutes (國衛院) of Infectious Diseases and Vaccinology, advises adults aged 20 to 40 to receive booster shots to prevent complications such as encephalitis and reduce the risk of mortality in children.
The CDC reminds the public that measles is highly contagious, with infectious periods extending four days before and after rash onset. To mitigate the spread, patients and their families should practice respiratory hygiene and cough etiquette. The CDC urges timely vaccination, especially for children aged one and older, and advises against traveling to outbreak regions with unvaccinated infants.