Over 146,000 diarrhea cases recorded in week of Mid-Autumn Festival

Taipei, Sept. 24 (CNA) Over 146,000 diarrhea cases were reported in Taiwan last week, coinciding with the Mid-Autumn Festival, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said Tuesday.

A total of 146,558 individuals with diarrhea visited emergency and outpatient departments from Sept. 15 to 21, a 5.7 percent increase compared to the previous week and the highest number recorded in the same period for the past five years, according to the CDC.

In addition, 123 diarrhea clusters were reported over the past four weeks, also marking a five-year high for the same period of the year, CDC data showed.

After the Mid-Autumn Festival, which took place on Sept. 17, the number of diarrhea cases rose and is expected to continue to do so for about another week, CDC Deputy Director-General Lo Yi-chun (羅一鈞) said at a new conference.

"The peak (of diarrhea cases) is expected to occur in early October, after which it will start to decline," he added.

Lo previously warned the public about the risks of diarrhea ahead of Mid-Autumn Festival, a holiday popular among Taiwanese for gathering together and barbecuing, saying that norovirus -- a common cause of the recent diarrhea clusters -- can only be killed when the internal temperature of the food reaches above 66 degrees Celsius.

During a gastrointestinal infection, it is important to rest adequately, stay hydrated, and replenish nutrients, Lo said, adding that electrolyte supplements should also be taken if necessary.

Meanwhile, 16,253 visits to emergency and outpatient departments due to enterovirus were reported last week, approximately a 9.4 percent increase compared to the previous week and the highest number recorded for the same period in five years, according to the CDC.

As for the most commonly detected enterovirus strains, Lo said the Coxsackievirus A10 strain and A16 strain have been prevalent based on laboratory monitoring data over the past four weeks.

Five cases of enterovirus with severe complications have been reported in Taiwan this year, including three cases related to the Coxsackievirus A2 strain and two related to the Coxsackievirus A10 strain. Four of five such severe cases were in infants under 1 year old, CDC data showed.

With the spread of enterovirus in Taiwan currently at its peak, Lo said the number of cases will start declining in early to mid-October, with the numbers expected to drop below the epidemic threshold of 11,000 cases by mid-November.

As the new school year began in early September, parents and caregivers at childcare facilities should stay vigilant, prioritizing thorough hand hygiene and ensuring regular cleaning and disinfection of the environment to prevent the spread of viruses among children, he noted.