The Centers for Disease Control (hereafter referred to as CDC) stated today (the 15th) that the domestic enterovirus outbreak continues to rise, and with increased close interaction among schoolchildren after the start of school, the risk of enterovirus transmission has increased, consequently raising the chance of household and community cluster infections. The agency urges parents and childcare providers to continuously teach young children to develop good personal hygiene habits, to strengthen proper and frequent handwashing with soap, and to implement environmental disinfection and staying at home when ill, in order to reduce the risk of disease transmission.
According to CDC monitoring data, the domestic outbreak continues to rise. In the 36th week (September 6–12), there were 10,203 emergency and outpatient visits for enterovirus, an 18.1% increase from the previous week (8,641 visits); laboratory surveillance over the past four weeks shows that the predominant community enterovirus strain is Coxsackie A6, followed by Enterovirus D68 and Coxsackie A16. So far in 2026, there have been seven confirmed cases of severe complications from enterovirus infection (including one death), consisting of five cases of Enterovirus D68, and one case each of Coxsackie A4 and Coxsackie A16; the public is urged to monitor the health of infants and young children for early signs of severe enterovirus disease.
The CDC reminds that enteroviruses are highly contagious and can easily spread among family members' hands and feet. Households with children under five should pay extra attention to personal hygiene, regularly clean and disinfect items and toys frequently touched by infants, and keep activity spaces well ventilated to reduce the chance of infection. Moreover, teenagers and adults can also be infected, though symptoms are usually mild and hard to distinguish from a common cold. The most effective preventive measures are proper and frequent handwashing, maintaining good personal hygiene, changing clothes immediately after returning home, and washing hands with soap before hugging or feeding infants, as well as implementing environmental cleaning. It should also be noted that alcohol has limited virucidal effect against enteroviruses. General environmental disinfection can use a 500 ppm solution (10 L of clean water + 100 mL of commercially available household bleach); if items or surfaces are contaminated by a sick child's nasal or oral secretions, vomit, or feces, a 1,000 ppm chlorine bleach solution is recommended (1 L of clean water plus 20 mL of bleach, mixed thoroughly). After wiping with the disinfectant, allow it to stand for 10 minutes before wiping again with clean water.
The CDC urges that children under five are a high‑risk group for severe enterovirus disease, and the severe course can progress rapidly. If a child diagnosed with enterovirus infection shows signs such as drowsiness, confusion, poor activity, weakness or paralysis of limbs, muscle twitching (unexplained startle or sudden whole‑body muscle contraction), persistent vomiting, rapid breathing, or accelerated heartbeat—early warning signs of severe enterovirus—parents should promptly take the child to a major hospital for treatment. For more information, visit the CDC’s website (https://www.cdc.gov.tw), or call the toll‑free epidemic prevention hotline 1922 (or 0800-001922) for inquiries.
Data source: Centers for Disease Control
Data compiled: Sensory Management Office
