Meningococcal meningitis case confirmed; 21 contacts monitored

Taipei, April 14 (CNA) A foreign woman in her 60s has tested positive for meningococcal meningitis, making her Taiwan's fifth case this year, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said Tuesday.

A total of 21 people have been identified as contacts, including travel companions and hospital contacts. All are being monitored through Thursday, CDC Deputy Director-General Tseng Shu-hui (曾淑慧) said at a routine briefing.

Of the contacts, three are classified as close contacts and have been given preventive medication. None has shown symptoms so far, Tseng said.

The foreign woman is currently hospitalized in stable condition, with her fever subsiding, CDC epidemiologist Lin Yung-ching (林詠青) said.

Lin said the woman entered Taiwan on April 1 and began experiencing symptoms, including abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting, on April 3. She sought medical attention the following day, when she was found to have a fever and elevated inflammatory markers.

Laboratory testing later confirmed the presence of Neisseria meningitidis in her blood, confirming the diagnosis, Lin said.

The bacteria are primarily transmitted through saliva and respiratory secretions, but have relatively low infectivity and typically require prolonged close contact for transmission, Lin said.

Around 5-10 percent of healthy individuals may carry the bacteria without symptoms, though a small proportion may develop meningitis or bacteremia.

Symptoms include fever, severe headache, stiff neck, nausea, vomiting and rash, while severe cases may involve altered consciousness, delirium or seizures, Lin said.

Complications can include pneumonia, sepsis, meningitis and, in severe cases, septic shock and death. The fatality rate is about 15 percent for meningitis and around 40 percent for sepsis, he added.

According to a CDC statement, Vietnam reported 95 cases of meningococcal meningitis in 2025, with the spread ongoing, while Japan has recorded 15 cases so far in 2026. A school cluster in the United Kingdom has reported 21 cases as of the end of March this year.