Three Monkeypox Cases Spread Out Across Island 猴痘疫本土3個案 台北.新竹.高雄現蹤

Health and Welfare Minister Hsueh Jui-yuan says monkeypox is only spreading among "special friend groups" and prevention policies therefore have to be more detailed.

Taiwan's three domestic monkeypox infections were spread out across the island in Taipei, Hsinchu and Kaohsiung. In the face of concerns about community spread, Health and Welfare Minister Hsueh Jui-yuan says he is more than confident in the domestic disease prevention system given that Taiwan now has so much experience in tracking, identifying, treating, and quarantining patients from the zero-COVID period. 

Hsueh Jui-yuan, Health and Welfare Minister: “Monkeypox has some differences, because it is generally transmitted within "special friend groups." So, our plans of action may be more detailed.”

Hsueh says Taiwan has signed a purchase contract for monkeypox vaccines but he doesn't know when the vaccines will actually arrive. There are still around one million people in Taiwan that are unvaccinated against COVID-19. Lawmakers say the time may not be right to lift quarantine for people with mild symptoms this month, lift hospital restrictions in April, and downgrade COVID-19 to a Category 4 communicable disease in May.

Lai Hui-yuan, Legislator (DPP): “Will all COVID-19 controls be lifted by July? ”
Hsueh Jui-yuan, Health and Welfare Minister: “We may ask seniors and people with preexisting conditions to get another booster in the fall, because that's when it starts getting colder and when we might see another wave of infections. ”

Asked whether Taiwan's child vaccine coverage rate is too low since only 20 percent of children have been boosted, Hsueh said the situation changes every day and the government looks at both the pros and the cons before implementing any change to its disease prevention policies.

猴痘本土個案散發，目前3例確診個案，分別住在台北、新竹以及高雄，社區暗藏潛伏風險。衛福部長薛瑞元強調，除了提高警覺，也對國內防疫系統有信心，過去新冠疫情在清零階段，從追蹤、匡列、治療、隔離都已有經驗，只是面對猴痘防治得要更細膩。

衛服部長薛瑞元表示：「猴痘還是有一些不太一樣的地方，因為它主要是在特殊交友圈裡面的傳播，所以所用的方法可能還要再更細膩一點。」

至於猴痘疫苗採購合約，薛瑞元透露已經完成簽訂，但確切進口時程還在跟廠商確定，一有訊息就會向外界報告。不過全台目前仍有約100萬人沒有接種任何一劑新冠疫苗，立委對於輕症免隔離3月上路、4月放寬醫院管制、5月新冠疫情改類的階段放寬，仍有疑慮。

民進黨立法委員賴惠員指出：「如果算一算整個解封政策規劃的時程，在今年7月有沒有機會推動？」

衛服部長薛瑞元提及：「包括年長者、慢性病人這些可能要追加一劑，這一劑的話我們預計是在秋天的時候施打，因為入秋之後天氣逐漸變冷，可能會讓COVID病毒更加活躍。」

被問到目前幼童追加劑施打僅有2成多，是否疫苗覆蓋力不足，出現保護力欠佳的疑慮，薛瑞元表示，疫情仍在變化中，但是朝輕症免隔離的方向進行，兼顧國人健康與社會經濟力復甦，實施前會再進行評估。