The Centers for Disease Control (hereinafter referred to as CDC) announced today (the 24th) that there are two new confirmed cases of severe complications from enterovirus infection in the country, including one case of a girl under 10 years old from the south (Case 1), which is the first fatal severe enterovirus infection case in 2026. Case 1 experienced vomiting and visited a clinic on March 11 this year; from the next day, symptoms such as headache, diarrhea and limb weakness appeared sequentially. On March 14, due to altered consciousness, myocarditis and multiple organ failure, she was rushed to the hospital, admitted to the intensive care unit, and unfortunately died on March 17. Laboratory reporting confirmed infection with Coxsackie A4 virus leading to severe disease. Case 2 is a man in his 30s from the north with a chronic disease history; on March 2 this year, after being hospitalized for his chronic condition, he developed fever the same day, followed by respiratory distress, myoclonic seizures, altered consciousness and hypoxemia. Reporting and testing confirmed infection with enterovirus D68 causing severe disease; he remains hospitalized.
According to CDC monitoring data, a total of four confirmed severe enterovirus infection cases (including one death) have been recorded this year, namely two cases of enterovirus D68, and one each of Coxsackie A4 and Coxsackie A16, which is comparable to the same period in 2025 (four cases) and higher than the 2022‑2024 same periods (0‑1 cases). CDC data also show that the number of outpatient visits for enterovirus rose from 2,847 after the Lunar New Year (week 8) to 3,009 last week (week 11), an average weekly increase of 1‑2%. Laboratory surveillance over the past four weeks indicates that community enteroviruses are dominated by Coxsackie A6, followed by Coxsackie A16 and Coxsackie A4, with other enterovirus types also circulating. The public is urged to pay special attention to the health of infants, toddlers, and school‑age children; if a child is infected with enterovirus, watch for signs of severe disease, keep them home from school when ill, and avoid cross‑infection through contact with other children. Among neighboring countries, Vietnam’s epidemic is rising, with Ho Chi Minh City reporting over 6,000 cases by early March and Hanoi’s hospitalized cases also increasing, both higher than the same period last year, and severe pediatric cases are mostly caused by EV71. China’s epidemic shows a declining trend, but February still reported over 20,000 cases, markedly higher than the same period in the past two years. Japan, South Korea, Singapore and Hong Kong are at low levels or stable.
The CDC reminds that enteroviruses are highly contagious; adults, school‑age children, and infants all face infection risk, especially in densely populated and frequently interacting settings such as households, schools, daycare centers, and after‑school programs. As the risk of enterovirus circulation increases, childcare institutions are asked to follow the “Handbook for Preventing and Controlling Enterovirus for Early‑Education Personnel,” strengthen self‑screening and implement preventive measures, teach children proper hand‑washing and good hygiene practices, ensure ventilation and cleanliness at home and in learning environments, and regularly disinfect surfaces frequently touched by children with 500 ppm chlorine bleach solution. Households with infants should maintain personal and environmental hygiene; after returning home, be sure to wash hands with soap correctly before holding or feeding infants, especially before eating, before playing with babies, after blowing the nose, after using the toilet, and before and after medical visits, following the five steps of “wet, rub, rinse, dry, wipe.” Monitor children’s health, and keep sick children at home as much as possible to reduce transmission risk.
The CDC urges that infants under 5 years old are a high‑risk group for severe enterovirus infection, and the disease progresses rapidly. If signs such as drowsiness, altered consciousness, poor activity, limb weakness, muscle jerks (unexplained startle or sudden whole‑body muscle contraction), persistent vomiting, rapid breathing, or accelerated heart rate appear, they must be taken to a major hospital for treatment immediately. For more information, 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 by: Surveillance Office
