A woman who was over 90 years old became the first reported death from influenza this year in Taiwan after passing away earlier this week, the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) stated on Friday.
According to CECC spokesperson Chuang Jen-hsiang (莊人祥), the woman, who had chronic health issues, was a resident at a long-term care institute and had not gotten any vaccine jabs for the flu since the rollout of free flu vaccines on Oct. 1.
She had difficulty breathing and a low temperature on Monday, Chuang described, saying that she was sent to a hospital but passed away on the same day.
Chuang said the woman tested negative using a rapid test for COVID-19, while a posthumous examination confirmed that she was infected with the influenza A (H3N2) virus, making her the first death from flu this year.
People who are highly vulnerable to flu infections will develop symptoms soon after contracting the flu, including dyspnea, hypoxia, blood in phlegm, thick phlegm, chest pain and low blood pressure, said Chuang, adding that people who have developed these symptoms should seek medical attention immediately.
Meanwhile, Chuang urged those eligible for the free flu vaccination program to get a shot soon, adding that vaccination is the best prevention.
The flu vaccination program is being implemented in two phases, starting with minors from 6 months old to the senior high school level; seniors aged 65 and over; medical workers; people with high-risk, chronic, rare, or serious diseases or severe injuries; pregnant women; parents of babies under 6 months old; and employees at preschools and childcare centers.
In this first phase, the free vaccines are also available to nursing home residents and workers, medical and public health personnel, people working in the poultry and livestock farming sector, and animal quarantine personnel, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).
The second-phase rollout of the free flu vaccine will begin on Nov. 1 and will include people aged 50-64, the CDC said, adding that a total of 6.3 million shots are available for the entire program.
For those who are ineligible for the program, they can get self-paid flu vaccines available at some medical institutes, Chuang said.
As of Thursday, about 1.84 million shots have been administered this year — higher than 1.21 million shots in the same period last year — with 26.7 percent of people 65 years old or older having been vaccinated, the CDC data indicated.
Citing its documents, the CDC pointed out that the domestic flu had become more widespread at the community level while not reaching the epidemic threshold yet, with influenza A (H3N2) accounting for most of the flu cases.
Globally, the flu has been on the rise in the northern hemisphere over the past two weeks, approaching the epidemic threshold in North America and becoming more widespread in South Korea and Singapore, with influenza A (H3N2) also being the most prevalent type, the CECC said.
Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel