After seeing 1,000 or more dengue fever cases per week for many of the weeks leading up to the winter months, the dengue fever outbreak in Taiwan is decreasing dramatically as the mercury drops.

Image/CDC
Image/CDC

According to the Taiwan CDC today, a total of 256 indigenous cases of dengue fever and 5 imported cases of dengue fever were confirmed during the last week. The vast majority of the new indigenous cases were reported from Kaohsiung City. In addition, three new cases of dengue hemorrhagic fever were confirmed in Kaohsiung City.

The CDC says that as of December 23, 2014, a cumulative total of 15, 260 indigenous cases of dengue fever have been confirmed since this summer. Of the cases, 14,798 cases were confirmed in Kaohsiung City, 205 cases were confirmed in Pingtung County and 146 cases were confirmed in Tainan City.

In 2013, Taiwan saw a total of 860 dengue fever cases total.

Although dengue activity has continued to decrease and the temperature has dropped, Aedes aegypti,the principal dengue-carrying vector, prefers to live indoors. This has prompted the Taiwan CDC once again reminds the public to reinforce the removal of vector-breeding sites and ensure the cleanliness of the environment as well as take precautions against mosquito bites in order to minimize the risk of dengue infection.