Echovirus Takes Life of 12-Day-Old Infant|今年首例 出生12天嬰腸病毒重症亡

The Centers for Disease Control has announced the first enterovirus death this year. The patient was a 12-day-old baby boy in eastern Taiwan who had multiple organ failure after contracting an echovirus. The CDC says there have been 10 severe enterovirus cases this year and half were infants under one. The CDC advises parents to wash their hands and put on surgical masks before touching their newborns.


The parents of a 12-day-old infant took him to the hospital after discovering he had a fever and was lethargic. He also had difficulty breathing and loss of appetite. As his condition continued deteriorating, he was transferred to a medical center in northern Taiwan. Despite treatment, the infant died of multiple organ failure caused by an echovirus 11 infection. This was the first reported enterovirus death in Taiwan so far this year.

Newborns are most often infected through contact with other people and vertical infections from their mothers.

Around 11,000 people received emergency treatment for enterovirus last week. With peak enterovirus season approaching, doctors are urging parents of newborns to be vigilant. In the last 15 years, five infants have died from echovirus complications. The youngest was just three days old.

(Echovirus) can spread through the entire body, resulting in neonatal enteroviral sepsis. This affects the liver and heart and is often fatal.

There have been 10 severe enterovirus cases so far this year. Half of the patients were under a year old. The Centers for Disease Control reminds people with infants in their home to wash their hands and put on surgical masks before touching the babies.