Taiwan is closely monitoring an outbreak of pneumonia in Wuhan, China, and preventative measures are fully in place, according to the Centers for Disease Control under the Ministry of Health and Welfare Jan. 15.
Based on information released by the World Health Organization, although no evidence of human-to-human transmission has been found so far, the possibility cannot be ruled out, the CDC said, adding that preparations for quarantine, diagnosis, testing and containment are complete should any cases be discovered in Taiwan.
The Beijing-based Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention has so far confirmed 41 cases, six of which are in a critical condition, with one death.
According to CDC Deputy Director-General Chuang Jen-hsiang, a 61-year-old Chinese woman was quarantined with a fever on arrival in Thailand Jan. 8. Subsequent testing revealed she was infected with viral pneumonia from the Wuhan outbreak, Chuang said.
The CDC has issued health guidance to remind the public respiratory diseases like influenza and pneumonia peak in the winter. People who plan to visit Wuhan or nearby areas should wash their hands frequently with soap, wear a surgical mask when visiting livestock markets or crowded public spaces, and avoid direct contact with wild animals, it added. (RAY-E)
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