Taiwan confirms 7th case of hantavirus this year

S. Taiwan city reports new infection spread by rat, hitting 20-year high

Taiwan News
Date: 2020/06/14
By Sophia Yang, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A woman in Kaohsiung City has contracted hantavirus, becoming the fifth case in the city and the seventh case in the country this year, setting a new high since records began in 2001.

The woman, in her 50s, is a restaurant worker in the southern port city. She was bitten by a rat on April 19 at her workplace and later exhibited symptoms of the disease, including fever, headache, muscle pain, chill, and excessive fatigue.

Unfortunately, the screening did not take place until the end of May after her doctor reported it as a suspected case of the rare virus spread by rodents.

According to government data, there have been two new cases in the past 30 days — one in May and one in June — bringing the country's total to seven. There were five cases in Kaohsiung, one in New Taipei City, and one in Keelung City.    [FULL  STORY]