Even as Taiwan’s COVID pandemic recedes, doctors are noticing an unusually high number of sick patients. Now they’re warning that the public should remain vigilant of other viruses in the community.
More and more people are showing up to doctor’s offices. This has some wondering “What is going on?”
Dr. Lin Ying-jan says he’s seen a 10% to 20% increase in flu cases compared to last summer.
Experts say this rise is because of the last two years of epidemic control measures. With mask wearing and large crowd reductions, people’s immune systems are now relatively weaker.
Dr. Chen Chang-yu says decreased exposure between people means less antibodies.
Dr. Lin says for some viruses like Enterovirus or the flu, people need to be exposed to build resistance. He says because those diseases haven't been spreading as much over the past couple of years, that may bring about a large outbreak.
Doctors say parents should remain vigilant. While their kids may not get COVID, they might get something else. One 2 year old girl displayed COVID symptoms, but doctors determined that she actually had Enterovirus.
Doctors say personal hygiene is important to stopping Enterovirus. The public should wash their hands with soap and water, not hand sanitizer, and clean surfaces with bleach and alcohol to prevent disease spread.