Taipei: The Taiwan Centers for Disease Control (CDC) on Tuesday reported the death of a second newborn under four weeks old this year due to severe enterovirus infections.
According to Focus Taiwan, the infant was a premature baby who initially suffered from respiratory distress syndrome following birth. In March, the infant developed symptoms indicative of sepsis, such as low blood oxygen levels, bradycardia, hepatitis, and thrombocytopenia, ultimately succumbing to the illness on March 17. CDC physician Lin Yung-ching confirmed at a press conference that the boy tested positive for enterovirus and was diagnosed with severe complications related to the infection, dying roughly a week after symptoms emerged.
The newborn was infected with the enteric cytopathic human orphan virus 11 (Echo 11), the same strain responsible for the first newborn's death from enterovirus earlier this year. Lin noted that none of the individuals in direct contact with the infant, including family members, other babies in the ward, and medical staff, have exhibited symptoms, and the source of infection remains unidentified.
CDC spokesperson Tseng Shu-hui reported at the news conference that Taiwan has recorded three severe enterovirus cases this year, all linked to the Echo 11 strain, with two fatalities involving newborns. She also highlighted that the number of severe cases in 2025 is slightly higher compared to the same period from 2021 to 2024. The total number of severe enterovirus cases was zero in 2021, three in 2022, eleven in 2023, and twelve in 2024, according to Tseng.
Lu Chun-yi, head of the National Taiwan University Hospital Pediatric Infectious Diseases department, stated that children under five years old are a common high-risk group for severe enterovirus infections. While infections in adults and older children often go unnoticed or result in mild symptoms resembling a cold, such as a slight fever, cough, or rash, infants are at high risk of severe complications, Lu emphasized.
The CDC has advised pregnant women and caregivers of infants to maintain strict personal hygiene, wash their hands before holding or feeding infants, and avoid contact with babies when symptomatic. Additionally, caregivers are urged to be vigilant for signs of severe enterovirus infections, including lethargy, unconsciousness, lack of energy, weak or numb limbs, and myoclonic seizures.