The Taiwan Centers for Disease Control (CDC) are ramping up measures in the battle against dengue fever, particularly in the south of the country, as the case tally continues to rise.

Health officials established a forward command post to support the local governments in battling the ongoing dengue outbreaks.

Image/Taiwan CDC
Image/Taiwan CDC

The purposes of establishing the forward command post are to help the central government in obtaining real-time information concerning the outbreaks in southern Taiwan and provide local governments real-time outbreak and disease surveillance, technical guidance on case management and infection prevention and control, and enhance central-local vertical co-ordination.

Last week, the Executive Yuan decided to allocate NT$ 42 million of the secondary reserve fund to support the dengue prevention and control efforts in Tainan City to cover costs for additional personnel, environmental disinfectant and others.

In addition, the CDC has purchase additional 10,000 dengue rapid diagnostic test kits and established the“Central Rapid Diagnostic Test Coordination Group” to mobilize resources in support local communities and governments.

As of Monday, 6,312 dengue fever cases have been reported in Taiwan, with 5,586 cases reported in Tainan City alone. Kaohsiung City, with 635 cases, has the second most cases.

Health officials hope to reverse the outbreak by the end of September; however, increased rainfall in the south  is unfavorable to the implementation of dengue prevention and control efforts.

Robert Herriman is a microbiologist and the Editor-in-Chief ofOutbreak News Today and the Executive Editor of The Global Dispatch

Follow @bactiman63

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