Officials Share Experience in Dengue Prevention |登革熱襲北台 緊急借鏡南部防治經驗

The Dengue virus epidemic has been spreading in northern Taiwan. Nine cases of infection have been spotted in New Taipei's Xinzhuang District so far. The Environmental Protection Administration have invited officials from Tainan and Kaohsiung City, who have dealt with massive dengue epidemic in recent years, to share their experiences with people in Taipei.


Local environmental protection professionals in New Taipei City are spraying disinfectant to eliminate possible hotspots of Dengue virus. The environmental protection administration has invited officials from southern Tainan and Kaohsiung City to share their experiences in containing the virus last year. EPA Head Lee Ying-Yuan said that the most basic measures tend to be the most effective when it comes to dealing with Dengue fever.

The basic measures, including monitoring and cleaning possible hotspots of Dengue virus, are definitely the most effective measures despite the fact that people tend to overlook them.

Lee said that there are currently 13 cases of Dengue fever in Taiwan this year, which is minimal when compared to the over 30,000 cases in Thailand and Malaysia. However, Lee said the officials and residents must be on guard about the possible epidemic. Meanwhile, officials from Tainan City said that proactively eliminating and monitoring potential hotspots for Dengue virus was key to their success to limit the number of Dengue fever infection to zero last year.

The Tainan City government placed a total of 3,456 buckets that attracts insects to lay eggs. As soon as the percentage of virus carrying insects is tested to be above 40 percent, the local officials and residents must be on guard and begin eliminating possible hotspots.

Kaohsiung City saw over 10,000 cases of Dengue infection in 2014 and 2015. The city government implemented strict fines to those who do not keep their environment sterile.

The local residents need to realize that they are responsible for maintaining their own surrounding and keeping it from dengue infection. They won't ignore the responsibility (once we implemented the fine), which prove to be effective in preventing the spread of the virus.

The Environmental Protection Administration has called on the public to clean any water residual in their environments, including roof tops and tree holes, in order to eliminate the opportunity for Dengue-carrying insects to lay eggs. The EPA said that the residents' cooperation is key to the success of Dengue prevention.