Taiwan CDC warns Japan-bound WBC fans of infectious disease risks

Taipei, March 3 (CNA) Taiwan's Centers for Disease Control (CDC) on Tuesday advised fans traveling to Tokyo for the upcoming World Baseball Classic (WBC) to take precautions against measles, influenza and infectious gastroenteritis, citing elevated disease activities in Japan.

With many Taiwanese baseball fans expected to travel to Japan to watch Taiwan's team play at the Tokyo Dome from Thursday through Sunday, CDC spokesperson Lin Ming-cheng (林明誠) said travelers should be aware of a rise in measles cases in Japan, which has reported 71 cases as of the eighth week of this year.

Speaking at a regular news briefing in Taipei, Lin said measles cases in Japan have reached their highest cumulative total for the same period since 2020, with most patients aged 10 to 19 and recent cases concentrated mainly in Tokyo, Aichi Prefecture and Niigata Prefecture.

Influenza activity in Japan remains at a high level, Lin said, with influenza B the dominant strain.

As of the eighth week of this year, more than 130,000 flu cases had been reported across Japan, and 29 prefectures, including Tokyo, had exceeded the warning threshold, he added.

Lin also warned travelers about infectious gastroenteritis in Japan, saying the country recorded an average of 8.02 cases per clinic in the eighth week of the year, the highest for the same period in five years.

He noted that norovirus was the main pathogen driving the ongoing rise in gastroenteritis cases.

Measles is best prevented through MMR vaccination, while people can also reduce the risk of infection by wearing a mask, washing their hands frequently and avoiding touching their eyes, nose and mouth, according to the CDC.

For influenza, the agency advises getting vaccinated as early as possible, washing hands regularly with soap and wearing a mask when needed.

To prevent infectious gastroenteritis, the CDC recommends proper hand hygiene before eating and after using the toilet, thoroughly washing fruits and vegetables, avoiding raw food and using serving utensils when sharing food with others.