Itinerant Kaohsiung mayor climbs tree to find mosquitoes, spawns memes

Taiwan News
Date: 2019/07/24
By: Keoni Everington, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — In a bizarre attempt to show that he is doing something to tackle the dangerous dengue fever outbreak in Kaohsiung, the city's itinerant mayor Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜) suddenly scampered up a tall banyan tree today (July 24).

There are 44 confirmed cases of dengue fever in urban areas of Kaohsiung, including two cases in Qianzhen District's Xishanli area. While visiting the area this morning with members of the press in tow, Han suddenly scurried up a banyan tree and shouted out with glee, "this tree has a hole with water in it where mosquitoes could breed!" reported Liberty Times.

Han then called on epidemic prevention personnel to climb up on their own and have others fill up the hole. Pan Chao-ying (潘炤穎), the head of the Kaohsiung health department's disease control division, then accompanied Han on inspecting a nearby tunnel.

When Han looked at the drainage ditch, he said, "The water is flowing so it's relatively safe," according to the report. He then went to the park behind the Fuxing Road Police Station, and workers already filling the hole in the banyan tree.    [FULL  STORY]