Kaohsiung Confirmed COVID Cases Surpass Taipei 昨高雄確診數超越北市 專家:全台疫情同步

For the first time, Kaoshiung's daily COVID tally surpassed that of Taipei, after the southern port city reported nealy 7400 cases on the 23rd. Meanwhile, experts say young patients under the age of 10 have a high risk of developing encephalitis as a complication, and remind parents to stay cautious.

The local epidemic continues to spread, but the confirmed diagnosis curve between Central and Southern Taiwan has crossed with the northern part of the country. On Monday the 23rd, Kaohsiung's newly confirmed cases surpassed Taipei for the first time, with the entire country recording more than 60,000 locally confirmed cases. Some experts said this means that Taiwan's epidemic situation has reached synchronization, but they are worried that there are more elderly people in the central and southern regions. Infection control in long-term care facilities must also be focused on in order to reduce the risks of severe illness and death.

Huang Li-min, Honorary Chairperson, Infectious Diseases Society of Taiwan: “If the epidemic spreads to Central and Southern Taiwan, we must pay attention to older citizens and try not to get them infected. They must take medicine as soon as possible after infection. We must especially pay attention to long-term care facilities because infection control at these facilities is usually not as strict as in a hospital.”

Meanwhile, children are, of course, not immune to the disease. According to the Central Epidemic Command Center, among 14 severe cases of children, 6 were complicated by encephalitis. According to a doctor's analysis, enterovirus 71 is complicated by severe encephalitis. The course of the disease is about three or four days. However, the speed of COVID pneumonia complicated by encephalitis is extremely fast. Violent encephalitis occurs almost on the day of onset. The reason remains to be determined.

Lee Ping-ing, Specialist Advisory Panel Member, CECC: “When enterovirus 71 is severe, a patient will most likely be at risk of severe illness about three to four days after the onset of the disease. The recent COVID virus is like this too. That is, after a patient gets sick, could the virus go to the brain through nerves? We need further research to clarify.”

Experts remind parents that if there are children under the age of five in the family, try to reduce unnecessary social activities. Adults and children should enact good health protection, and family members who can be vaccinated should do so. If a child has a high fever of more than 41 degrees, and shows signs of severe symptoms such as poor consciousness and convulsions, the child should be taken to the doctor immediately.

新冠本土疫情持續延燒，不過北部與中南部的確診曲線卻出現黃金交叉，23日週一高雄新增確診，首度超過北市。全台新增6萬多例本土病例，有專家表示，代表全台疫情已經到同步，但是擔憂中南部老年人口較多，長照機構的感染管控也須留意，才能降低染疫後重症及死亡的風險。

台灣感染症醫學會名譽理事長黃立民表示：「如果疫情轉到中南部的話，就是要留意這些年紀比較大的國民，儘量不要被感染，感染以後儘量早一點能夠吃到藥。尤其長照機構，因為長照機構的感控呢，通常是沒有辦法做得像醫院這麼嚴格的。」

此外，本土疫情嚴峻，染疫者除了成人，也包括10歲以下幼童。根據指揮中心統計，目前累計14例兒童重症當中，有6例是併發腦炎，有醫師分析，腸病毒71型併發腦炎重症，病程大約3、4天，但新冠肺炎併發腦炎速度超快，幾乎發病當天就出現猛爆性腦炎，原因還有待研究。

中央流行疫情指揮中心專家諮詢小組委員李秉穎解釋：「腸病毒71型重症的時候，它大概是在發病以後3、4天左右，最容易出現重症的風險。我們看最近的新冠呢，它也是這樣子，就是說他開始生病以後，可能會不會是經由神經跑到腦部去，這個是以後還需要做研究去澄清的。」

專家提醒家長，家中若有未滿5歲孩童，儘量減少出席不必要的社交活動，大人小孩都要做好衛生防護，家中成員能打疫苗盡量去接種。若孩童高燒超過41度，出現意識不佳、抽搐等重症徵兆時，就要立即送醫。