Taiwanese health officials reported today of a confirmed chikungunya case in Filipino worker. The patient, a 29-year-old male, was detected with fever upon arrival in Kaohsiung International Airport on Jan 2.

Aedes aegypti/CDC
Aedes aegypti/CDC

According to the epidemiological investigation, the case traveled alone and was originally planning to work in southern Taiwan after arriving on January 2. When he was detected with fever upon arriving in Taiwan, the airport quarantine officer from Taiwan CDC immediately provided the case with relevant health education and mosquito repellent.

Subsequently, the case was referred to a hospital for hospitalization and treatment by the Department of Health of the Kaohsiung City Government.  As a result, no one in the community was exposed to the case. As of now, the case has been discharged from the hospital and he is in good health.

Since 2007, Taiwan has reported more than 100 chikungunya cases in the country, all of them being imported. Most cases have been reported originated in Southeast Asia, primarily Indonesia and the Philippines.

Taiwan CDC reminds travelers planning to visit areas affected by chikungunya to take precautions against mosquito bites, including wearing light-colored clothing, long sleeves and long pants, applying officially approved mosquito repellent to exposed parts of the body, staying at accommodations installed with window screens, screen doors or air conditioners. If symptoms such as fever, headache, nausea, vomiting, rash and joint pain develop after their return, please seek immediate medical attention and inform the physician of their travel activity and history in order to facilitate early diagnosis, case reporting and treatment.

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