Taiwan is currentlyโค grappling with its most severe influenza outbreak โin nearly โa decade,with the Department of Disease Control reporting a staggering 162,000 emergency department visits in the fourth week of this year alone. This marks the highest number of cases in the pastโ ten influenza seasons, signaling a critical public health challenge.
Dr. huang Limin,chief physician of the Pediatric Department at National Taiwan University Hospital,highlighted the unusual nature โขof this yearโs outbreak. โaccording toโ past experience, the influenza epidemic begins to declineโฃ after the New Year,โ he statedโข in an interview with the Central News Agency. However, this yearโs first wave of infections shows no signs of abating, defying historical trends.
Two key factors are drivingโ this unprecedented situation. First, Taiwanโs typicalโ influenza season, which runs from December to February, isโ now overlapping with a potentialโ secondโ wave expected from February to May. โโThe worst-case scenario is that the โขfirst wave hasnโt substantially cooled, and the second โคwaveโ follows promptly,โ โคHuang explained.โค Second, unlike โprevious years where two influenza virus types circulatedโฃ concurrently, this season is โdominatedโ by a โsingle strain, A H1N1, which complicates containment efforts.
The data underscores the severity of the crisis. From October 1, 2024, to February 2, 2025, there have been 641 confirmedโค cases, with 599 โattributedโ to H1N1. Alarmingly, 54% of these cases involved severe complications,โข and โ132 resultedโ inโ fatalities. Over 90% of these severe cases and deaths occurred among individuals who had not received this seasonโs fluโ vaccine.
the Department of Diseaseโ Control has emphasizedโค the โคimportance of vaccination, โฃnoting that 6.78 million doses of publicโ influenza vaccines have beenโ administered as January โฃ1, 2025. โThose who have not yet beenโ vaccinated are urged to doโ so as soon as possible,โ especiallyโ high-riskโ groups,โ the department stated. Medical institutions continue โฃto offer self-funded vaccination services for thoseโ in need.
As the Spring Festival holidayโค concludes, health officials anticipate a surge in cases during โthe sixth week. The situation remains fluid, and the public is advised to remain vigilant. With the influenza season far from over, Taiwan faces a critical juncture in its fight against this persistent and deadlyโ virus.
Key statisticsโ (2024/10/1 – 2025/2/2)
| Metric โ โ | Number |
|————————–|——————|
| Total Cases | 641 โค |
| H1N1 Cases โ โ โ | 599โค โฃ |
| Severe โCases โข โค โ | 346 โค(54%) |
| โFatalities โฃ | 132 โ โฃ โค |
| Unvaccinated Fatalities | >90% โฃ โ |
For more information on influenza trends andโฃ vaccination efforts, visit the Department of Disease Control.