The Centers for Disease Control (hereafter referred to as CDC) announced today (the 17th) a case of Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome (SFTS). The patient is a man in his 70s, a Taiwanese national living in the north, with no recent overseas travel history. His main activity area is near his home. At the end of February 2026, he experienced generalized weakness, went to the hospital emergency department the next day, and was hospitalized for fever and low platelet count. On March 2, the SFTS report was confirmed by testing. The case was discharged on March 16. A total of nine cohabitants and healthcare contacts have no symptoms, and the case will continue to be monitored until March 26.
The CDC stated that health authorities have launched various investigations and control measures for this case, and on March 12, together with local health units, conducted an environmental investigation at the patient's residence and completed sampling. The patient lives in a suburban area; in front of the house is a vegetable garden where he often works, and wildlife is frequently seen around the house. The household keeps pets (cats and dogs); although no ticks were found inside the house or on the pets, 16 ticks were collected outside the residence, and signs of mouse activity were found in the garden. Forty‑four mouse traps were placed around the house, but no mice were captured. The collected ticks were identified as belonging to the genus Haemaphysalis, but they are not the primary vector of the SFTS virus (the long‑horned tick). Although the tested ticks did not carry the virus, the risk of environmental infection cannot be ruled out. The public is reminded to take protective measures and stay vigilant when entering grass, forest and similar environments to avoid tick bites.
The CDC's statistics show that Taiwan reported its first locally confirmed SFTS case in 2019, and to date there have been a total of three locally confirmed cases (in 2019, 2022, and this year). Internationally, after the first SFTS case was reported in China in 2009, Japan, South Korea, Vietnam, Myanmar, and Thailand have also reported cases, and the disease has continued to circulate in East Asia in recent years with an expanding geographic distribution. In recent years, China reports about 3,000–5,000 cases annually; South Korea's case numbers have been rising, reaching about 280 cases in 2025, the highest in recent years; Japan's case numbers have also increased, with 191 cases in 2025, also the highest in recent years, mainly concentrated in the western region.
The CDC explained that SFTS is primarily transmitted through the bite of ticks carrying the SFTS virus. Although overseas reports have described cases where healthcare workers were infected by direct contact with patients' blood, bodily fluids, or respiratory droplets while caring for them, such cases are extremely rare, indicating that tick bites remain the main transmission route. The incubation period of SFTS is about 7 to 14 days. After a tick carrying the SFTS virus bites a human, most infected individuals experience fever, nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, and reduced platelet and white blood cell counts; a minority may develop multiple organ failure, with a case‑fatality rate of approximately 5–15%. There is currently no antiviral medication for SFTS, but aggressive supportive therapy can reduce mortality.
The CDC reminded that ticks, commonly called “wall lice” or “eight‑legged monsters,” mainly inhabit grass, forest and other outdoor environments. April to October is the domestic tick activity season. Ticks can transmit diseases such as Lyme disease, Q fever, and SFTS. Abroad, there are cases of ticks spreading diseases across borders with migratory birds. The public is urged to guard against tick bites, avoid exposure to tick‑infested grass and forest areas, and if entry into such areas is necessary, take personal protective measures, including wearing light‑colored long‑sleeved clothing, gloves and long boots, tucking pant legs into socks or shoes, and applying government‑approved insect‑repellent products containing DEET or picaridin to exposed skin and clothing. After outdoor activities, check for tick bites or attachments; if a tick is found, use tweezers to grasp the mouthparts and carefully remove it, avoiding breakage of the mouthparts inside the body, and promptly bathe and change clothes to reduce infection risk. If suspected symptoms appear, seek medical attention promptly and inform the provider of any exposure history for early diagnosis and treatment. For more information, you can visit the CDC's global website (https://www.cdc.gov.tw) or call the toll‑free epidemic prevention hotline 1922 (or 0800-001922) for inquiries.
Source: Centers for Disease Control
Data compiled: Surveillance Office
