Flu epidemic continues as deaths and cases hit new high

AT-RISK GROUPS: Of the accumulated 1,586 severe cases and 304 related deaths in this flu season, 65.8% were older people and 83.2% had chronic diseases, an official said

• By Lee I-chia / Staff reporter

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The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) yesterday said that 165 severe flu cases and 30 flu-related deaths were reported last week, the highest weekly numbers in this flu season, and that cases might continue to increase, urging people to take precautions.

Medical visits for flu-like illnesses increased by 1.4 percent to 141,374 last week, with 11.8 percent being emergency visits, showing that the seasonal flu is still in its epidemic period, CDC Epidemic Intelligence Center Director Guo Hung-wei (郭宏偉) said.

From Tuesday last week to Monday, 165 severe flu cases and 30 flu-related deaths were confirmed, the highest weekly numbers since October last year, and also the highest numbers of the same week in five years, he said.

Centers for Disease Control Deputy Director-General Lin Ming-cheng, center, holds a news conference in Taipei yesterday.

Photo: Hou Chia-yu, Taipei Times

Of the accumulated 1,586 severe cases and 304 flu-related deaths in this flu season, 65.8 percent were people aged 65 or older, and 83.2 percent had chronic diseases, he said, adding that elderly people with underlying conditions have the highest risk of developing severe illness.

Among the latest confirmed flu deaths, the youngest was a five-year-old boy who did not have underlying health conditions, but also did not get vaccinated, CDC physician Lin Yung-ching (林詠青) said.

The boy began having flu-like symptoms late last month and first sought treatment at a clinic, but as he later developed recurring fever, altered consciousness and convulsions, he was referred to a hospital for emergency treatment, Lin said.

At the hospital he was confirmed to be infected with influenza A virus and showed signs of encephalitis, he said.

The boy remained unconscious for more than two weeks in an intensive care unit and died of influenza-induced acute necrotizing encephalopathy combined with sepsis, he said.

Contact tracing found that a person living with the boy had also contracted the flu late last month, Lin said.

Guo said medical visits for COVID-19 increased 20.6 percent to 14,462 last week, and 48 severe cases and nine deaths were confirmed from Tuesday last week to Monday.

Among the deaths was a man in his 30s, who had multiple chronic health conditions, and he died of cardiogenic shock and septic shock about two weeks after hospitalization, Lin said.

As transmittable respiratory diseases typically become more active when temperatures drop, the CDC urge people to practice hand and respiratory hygiene, he said.

Infected high-risk people, including young children, people with chronic conditions and older people, should also seek medical attention as soon as possible, especially if they develop symptoms such as difficulty breathing and altered consciousness, he said.

Flu cases are expected to rise to a peak of 150,000 to 160,000 weekly medical visits, CDC Deputy Director-General Lin Min-cheng (林明誠) said.

There is an increased infection risk as people congregate during the upcoming Mid-Autumn Festival, Lin Min-cheng said.

As for a cluster of 11 acute hepatitis C cases that was traced to a clinic in New Taipei City’s Banciao District (板橋), Lin said two new cases were confirmed last week among the 1,118 people who received injections from January to last month and were notified that they could get a free blood test.

A total of 1,111 people has been informed by the local health department, and seven could not be reached, he said.

Of the 418 people who have been contacted but have not received the free blood test, 36 refused to get tested, four had died, and 32 reported receiving a blood test on their own, he said, adding that the positivity rate of the tested people so far was 3.08 percent.

The CDC would look into the causes of the four deaths to determine if the deaths were connected with hepatitis C infection, and a meeting would be held with the New Taipei City Department of Health on the case, he added.