KEEPING CLEAN: The sharp drop is likely due to people following disease prevention measures such as frequent handwashing, wearing masks and social distancing

Taipei Times
Date: Jun 10, 2020
By: Lee I-chia / Staff reporter

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) yesterday reported a significant drop in the case numbers of several types of infectious diseases in the first half of the year, attributing it in part to more people wearing masks and practicing personal protective measures to prevent COVID-19 infection.

The number of cases of flu-like illness and enterovirus infection reported from May 31 to Saturday last week fell 71.1 percent and 88.2 percent respectively from the same week last year, CDC Epidemic Intelligence Center Director Liu Ting-ping (劉定萍) said.

Taiwan regularly enters the peak season of enterovirus infections in May or June, with weekly reported cases exceeding the epidemic threshold (11,000 hospital visits in a week) in week 22 last year, while there were only 1,360 hospital visits last week (week 23), she said.

The number of cases of respiratory infectious diseases also declined significantly, with zero cases of measles or rubella reported so far this year, compared with 100 cases of measles and 17 cases of rubella in the same period last year, Liu said.    [FULL  STORY]