The Centers for Disease Control (hereafter referred to as the CDC) said today (the 21st) that the domestic enterovirus outbreak continues to intensify. During the summer vacation period, children attending summer camps and various summer travel activities have an increased chance of contracting enterovirus. In addition, most childcare institutions remain open during the vacation, so children can still become infected at these facilities and transmit the virus to other infants at home. Moreover, with the summer travel peak arriving, the public is reminded that whether choosing domestic leisure activities or planning overseas travel, personal protective measures should continue to be implemented, teaching children to wash their hands properly with soap after entering public places to reduce the risk of infectious disease and ensure travel quality and health.
According to CDC monitoring data, the number of enterovirus outpatient visits in week 28 (July 12–18) was 7,534 visits to emergency and outpatient departments, similar to the previous week (7,442 visits), showing a fluctuating trend recently, and the epidemic changes need continuous observation; laboratory monitoring over the past four weeks indicates that the community enterovirus is dominated by Coxsackie A6, followed by Enterovirus D68 and Coxsackie A4. So far in 2026, there have been six confirmed severe cases of enterovirus infection (including one death), comprising four cases of Enterovirus D68, and one case each of Coxsackie A4 and Coxsackie A16. The risk of enterovirus transmission persists, and the public is urged to monitor infants' health and signs of severe enterovirus infection.
The CDC noted that neighboring countries such as Vietnam, China, Japan, South Korea, Thailand, and Singapore have all seen recent increases in enterovirus activity. In Vietnam, the situation is severe; from mid‑December 2025 to June this year, about 55,000 cases have been reported, including 10 deaths, primarily caused by EV71, with severe and fatal cases especially in southern provinces such as Ho Chi Minh City. In China, the outbreak is rising; as of July 12, the number of hand‑foot‑mouth disease cases has exceeded 630,000, with 119 severe cases and one death, all higher than the same period in 2025, and the predominant strain is Coxsackie A16. Thailand has reported over 25,000 cases so far this year, Japan over 56,000 cases with a rapid recent increase, and both South Korea and Singapore have higher incidences than the same period last year.
The CDC reminds parents to monitor their children's health during the summer vacation. If children frequent densely populated or highly interactive places (such as after‑school care, summer camps, nurseries, indoor playgrounds, etc.), they should practice hand hygiene and cough etiquette, and develop good personal hygiene habits. Before eating, before playing with a baby, after blowing the nose, after using the toilet, and before and after seeing a doctor, they should wash their hands correctly using the five steps of “wet, lather, rinse, dry, wipe.” If suspected symptoms appear, they should avoid contact with pregnant women and infants to protect their own and others' health; moreover, the enterovirus outbreak is expected to continue rising during the vacation, so staff at childcare facilities, summer classes, and camps, as well as parents, should ensure cleanliness and ventilation of homes, facilities, and activity venues, regularly cleaning and disinfecting items and toys that children frequently touch with chlorine bleach water at a concentration of 500 ppm. In addition, if a child at home is diagnosed by a physician with an enterovirus infection, they should rest at home and avoid contact with other infants to reduce transmission risk.
The CDC again urges that children under five are a high‑risk group for severe enterovirus infection. If a physician diagnoses an enterovirus infection, monitor the infant’s health for signs such as drowsiness, confusion, lethargy, weakness or paralysis of the limbs, muscle jerks (unexplained or sudden whole‑body muscle contractions), persistent vomiting, rapid breathing, or accelerated heartbeat, which are warning signs of severe disease, and promptly take them to a major hospital for treatment. 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: CDC
Data compiled: Infection Control Office
