Taipei: Taiwan's Centers for Disease Control (CDC) on Tuesday advised fans traveling to Tokyo for the upcoming World Baseball Classic (WBC) to take precautions against measles, influenza, and infectious gastroenteritis, citing elevated disease activities in Japan. With many Taiwanese baseball fans expected to travel to Japan to watch Taiwan's team play at the Tokyo Dome from Thursday through Sunday, CDC spokesperson Lin Ming-cheng emphasized the need for awareness regarding these health risks.
According to Focus Taiwan, travelers should be particularly cautious of a rise in measles cases in Japan, which has reported 71 cases as of the eighth week of the year. Lin noted that the current measles situation is the highest cumulative total for this period since 2020, with the majority of cases occurring in individuals aged 10 to 19. Recent incidents are primarily concentrated in Tokyo, Aichi Prefecture, and Niigata Prefecture.
Influenza activity remains significant in Japan, with influenza B identified as the dominant strain. As of the eighth week of the year, more than 130,000 flu cases had been reported nationwide, and 29 prefectures, including Tokyo, had surpassed the warning threshold.
Lin also highlighted concerns about infectious gastroenteritis, with Japan recording an average of 8.02 cases per clinic in the eighth week of the year-the highest for this period in five years. Norovirus has been identified as the main pathogen contributing to the increase in gastroenteritis cases.
To prevent measles, the CDC recommends the MMR vaccination and suggests wearing masks, frequent handwashing, and avoiding touching the face. For influenza prevention, the agency advises early vaccination, regular handwashing with soap, and mask-wearing when necessary. To minimize the risk of infectious gastroenteritis, the CDC recommends practicing proper hand hygiene before eating and after using the toilet, thoroughly washing fruits and vegetables, avoiding raw food, and using serving utensils when sharing food with others.