MEASLES WATCH: The CDC also confirmed a third case of measles infection from a person who had contracted the disease in Thailand

Taipei Times
Date: Dec 18, 2019
By: Lee I-chia  /  Staff reporter

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) yesterday said that hospital visits for flu-like illness last week increased 21.2 percent from the previous week, while confirming one case of measles.

The number of flu-like cases totaled 92,475 last week, with the increase centered on northern and central Taiwan, CDC Epidemic Intelligence Center Director Liu Ting-ping (劉定萍) said.

Emergency-room visits for flu-like illness accounted for 11.1 percent of the total — near the epidemic threshold of 11.5 percent, CDC Deputy Director-General Philip Lo (羅一鈞) said.

The nation is likely to enter the peak flu season as early as this week, with the peak activity occurring either before or after the Lunar New Year holiday, the CDC said.    [FULL  STORY]