US embassy cable - 05TAIPEI3666

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 TAIPEI 003666 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EAP/RSP/TC 
STATE PLEASE PASS TO AIT/W 
DHHS PLEASE PASS TO CDC DIVISIONS 
 
FROM AIT KAOHSIUNG BRANCH OFFICE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: AMGT, CASC, ECON, SENV, SOCI, TW, ESTH 
SUBJECT: Indigenous Dengue Fever Cases Reported In 
Kaohsiung, Southern Taiwan 
 
1.  Summary.   On August 19, 2005, the Taiwan CDC announced 
the island's first cases of indigenous Serotype III dengue 
fever.  The outbreak occurred in Kaohsiung City in southern 
Taiwan.  Between the date of the first reported case and 
August 30th, there have been a total of four confirmed cases 
and one suspected case of locally contracted dengue fever. 
Local health officials found that the five infected patients 
either resided in or had recently visited Joungjou ward, a 
small, isolated fishing village, before developing symptoms. 
Health officials also suspect that one infection originating 
abroad, but confirmed on July 31st that Joungjou ward might 
be the source of the current outbreak.  Taiwan CDC has 
called for better preventative measures for Taiwanese 
traveling to Southeast Asian countries, since the most of 
those countries have been unable to bring this year's dengue 
fever epidemic under control.  End Summary. 
 
2.  On August 19, Taiwan's CDC announced this year's first 
reported indigenous case of dengue fever in Kaohsiung City, 
southern Taiwan.  The dengue virus was identified as 
Serotype III.  The case involved a 30-year-old male who 
resides in the Hsiaokang District, Kaohsiung City.  The 
patient developed symptoms on August 13th and had visited 
the Joungjou ward ferryboat station in the Chijin District 
in early August. 
 
3.  In addition to the previously confirmed case, the CDC 
has recently announced that three more confirmed cases and 
one suspected case of locally contracted dengue fever in 
Kaohsiung city.  Local health officials found that all of 
patients had either been living in, or had visited Chijin 
District's Joungjou prior to developing symptoms. 
 
4.  Local health officials tracked the source of the 
infection to a case reported at Joungjou ward that involved 
a person who was infected while traveling outside Taiwan. 
The case, confirmed on July 31st by the Taiwan CDC, involved 
a patient who was infected with dengue after returning from 
a trip to Southeast Asia.  In order to prevent the spread of 
the virus, the CDC is conducting insect abatement operations 
at Joungjou ward and in the surrounding area. 
 
5.  According to Chiu Hong-ying, section chief of the CDC 
southern branch office, Southeast Asian countries are 
currently suffering severe outbreaks of dengue fever.  Based 
on CDC's statistics, as of August 16, 2005, there had been 
38,635 confirmed cases in Indonesia (539 deaths), 15,500 in 
Vietnam (17 deaths), 12,308 in the Philippines (159 deaths), 
10,390 in Thailand (16 deaths), 8,505 in Malaysia (11 
deaths), and 7,099 in Singapore (1 death). 
 
6.  In Taiwan, according to Chiu, as of August 30, 2005, 
there have been 57 imported cases of dengue fever, all of 
which were contracted in Southeast Asia.  Most of the 
victims were infected while visiting relatives in Southeast 
Asia.  Chiu is worried that the governments of Southeast 
Asia have been unable to bring this year's dengue fever 
epidemic under control.  He is urging Taiwanese traveling to 
Southeast Asia to take advance preventative measures to 
avoid infection. 
 
7.  Chiu noted that in 2002, the Kaohsiung area suffered an 
outbreak of dengue fever Serotype II, and in 2004 the area 
suffered an outbreak of Serotype I and IV.  The five 
recently confirmed cases are of Serotype III.  Chiu urged 
residents of Kaohsiung to use mosquito repellant to avoid 
mosquito bites.  In particular, Chiu added that residents 
who had suffered previous dengue infections should be 
especially alert to avoid contracting the virus again, since 
a re-infection could easily develop into the more serious 
dengue hemorrhagic fever. 
 
8.  Comment.  The current outbreak is in an area close to 
Kaohsiung's harbor and AIT/K's Container Security Initiative 
(CSI) office.  AIT/K staff, in the conduct of official 
business, frequently visit the area.  All AIT/K staff have 
been briefed on the need to take necessary precautions to 
avoid infection. End Comment. 
 
Thiele 
 
Keegan