Taipei: The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) announced on Tuesday that the youngest victim of the current flu season was a baby girl under the age of 2, who succumbed to complications from necrotizing encephalopathy associated with influenza.
According to Focus Taiwan, CDC physician Lin Yung-ching shared during a press conference that the infant had previously been vaccinated against the flu. Despite this, she began exhibiting symptoms such as fever, cough, runny nose, decreased activity, and a lack of appetite in mid-February. She was hospitalized after testing positive for influenza A and was administered antiviral medications. Unfortunately, her condition deteriorated, with a fever spiking to 42 degrees Celsius and signs of respiratory distress and altered consciousness emerging.
Efforts to stabilize her condition in the emergency room were unsuccessful, and she passed away on the fourth day. The cause of death was identified as encephalitis and septic shock complications from the influenza, leading to multiple organ failure.
The CDC reported that approximately 137,000 individuals sought medical care for flu-like symptoms from February 16-22, reflecting a 9 percent decrease from the previous week, suggesting a potential decline in the epidemic’s intensity. However, CDC Epidemic Intelligence Center Director Kuo Hung-wei noted that this figure was still the second highest for the same period over the past decade.
Between February 18-24, there were 83 cases of severe influenza complications and 23 fatalities, with the majority linked to the H1N1 strain of influenza A. In response to the ongoing situation, CDC spokesperson Tseng Shu-huai stated that an additional 100,000 flu vaccine doses have been allocated for high-risk groups, including seniors, infants, pregnant women, and healthcare providers.
Over 70,000 flu vaccinations have been administered since February 20, leaving approximately 20,000 doses available. Tseng emphasized the importance of vaccination for high-risk individuals and urged them to receive their shots promptly.