[Life] 5 Dengue Fever Cases Confirmed in Philippine Study Tour Group, CDC Estimates Low Risk of Community Transmission
RtiTalk 小編18d ago
A hundred-person study tour group from the Philippines has reported an overseas cluster of dengue fever cases. Lin Ming-cheng, spokesperson for the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), stated today (1st) that the group consisted of 126 people distributed across 14 cities and counties in Taiwan. After testing, 5 people were confirmed to have dengue fever, including 4 from Changhua and 1 from Hualien. As the period of highest infectivity, the "viremic phase*", occurred abroad for these cases, the risk of community transmission in Taiwan is assessed as low. #Reported by Radio Taiwan International (RTI) reporter Liu Pin-hsi#
An overseas cluster of dengue fever cases was recently reported among a hundred-person study tour group from the Philippines to Taiwan. Some group members returned to Taiwan early due to feeling unwell and were found to be infected with dengue fever, drawing attention.
At a press conference on the epidemic on the 1st, Lin Ming-cheng, spokesperson for the CDC, stated that the study tour group comprised 126 people, spread across 14 cities and counties. This included 116 participants of group courses and their accompanying family members, and 10 participants of individual courses and their accompanying family members. They traveled to Cebu, Philippines, from July 31st to August 27th. With the exception of one person who left Taiwan again after returning, the remaining 125 people have been included in the follow-up, and 70 of them have been tested.
Lin Ming-cheng pointed out that 43 people in the study tour group showed suspected symptoms. However, medical diagnoses were mostly for Influenza B, upper respiratory tract infections, and common colds. Among them, 5 people were confirmed to have dengue fever. In addition to the previously known 4 cases in Changhua, there is one case in Hualien. All are in their teens.
Lin Ming-cheng said that based on the onset of illness between August 19th and August 22nd, the "viremic phase", when infectivity is highest, occurred abroad for these cases. The preliminary assessment indicates a low risk of community transmission in Taiwan. This case will be monitored until September 22nd. He said: "(Original sound) If these individuals' onset of illness was between August 19th and 22nd, then their viremic phase was mostly abroad, and the risk of community transmission in Taiwan is relatively low."
In addition, a dengue fever family cluster case recently broke out in Gangshan, Kaohsiung, where 3 out of 6 family members were confirmed infected. The Kaohsiung City Health Bureau conducted expanded community testing to find hidden cases. Lin Ming-cheng stated that the expanded testing targets included cohabiting family members, workplace contacts, community contacts, and general community members. A total of 315 people were tested, and no new cases were added.
Lin Ming-cheng said that during the expanded community testing, a Vietnamese student worker who entered Taiwan on August 8th and worked at a breakfast shop near the case's residence tested positive for both IgM and IgG antibodies. It is estimated that this individual was in the viremic phase upon entry. Coupled with the fact that there were indeed 3 breeding grounds at the cluster family's residence, it is highly suspected that this individual was the source of infection for this family cluster.
According to CDC statistics, Taiwan has accumulated a total of 154 dengue fever cases this year so far. Among them, 10 are local cases, all residing in Kaohsiung City. The other 144 cases are imported, with infection origins mainly from Southeast and South Asian countries such as Vietnam, the Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia, and Cambodia. The cumulative number of cases is lower than in the same period in 2025.
(*Note: The "viremic phase" refers to the period when the virus enters the human bloodstream and is highly active and replicating, which is also the most infectious stage. For dengue fever, during this period, the patient's blood is full of the virus. If bitten by a vector mosquito, the mosquito will ingest the virus and, after reproduction within the mosquito, become capable of transmission.)
Source Link: https://www.rti.org.tw/news?uid=3&pid=229527
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