Epidemic cerebroespinal meningitis enters peak season: DOH

Taipei, Apr 17 (UNI) The Department of Health (DOH) warned the public today that epidemic cerebrospinal meningitis has entered peak season with 17 notified cases so far, among which 11 have developed the full-blown disease and two have died.

Lin Ting, deputy director of the DOH Center for Disease Control, said the early symptoms of this form of meningitis, which is caused by a specific bacterium, could be missed, saying that the public should pay attention to such symptoms as fever and skin rashes.

Treatment with antibiotics and other drugs is usually effective against this infection in the initial stage, he added reports the taiwanese central news agency (CNA).

Lin said the disease is most prevalent between March and April, noting that there were only four reported cases in the same period of last year with only one confirmed case. There were 25 reported cases in the whole of 2006, among which there were 13 confirmed cases and two deaths.

Lin said that among the 11 confirmed cases this year, three cases are babies not yet a month old, with the remaining eight cases aged between 11 and 86. They are sporadic cases rather than cluster cases, Lin added.

He advised the public to stay away from crowded places such as military barracks or school dormitories and to pay attention to personal hygiene.

People should also get vaccinated if they travel to Africa or other regions listed as infectious places, he added.

UNI