TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Outpatient visits for enterovirus in Taiwan increased by 2.1% last week compared to the previous week, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said Tuesday (Oct. 22).
There has also been a rapid increase in the proportion of Coxsackievirus A6 (CA6) cases. The virus interferes with nail growth, resulting in nail loss in approximately 37% of children within 1 to 2 months of infection, per CNA.
The CDC reported 16,288 outpatient visits for enterovirus during the week of Oct. 13-19, up from the previous week. The past four weeks showed Coxsackievirus A16 (CA16) was the most prevalent virus, followed by CA6. Two mild cases of D68, a more severe type of enterovirus, were also reported.
Contrary to expectations, the enterovirus epidemic has not shown a downward trend this week, the CDC said. CA6 cases have risen from 8-9% a month ago to about 20%, surpassing Coxsackievirus A10 as the second most prevalent type.
CA6 could soon surpass CA16 as the dominant type. CA6 can cause large blisters and onycholysis, where the nail separates from the nail bed.
Taiwan has experienced several outbreaks of CA6 in recent years, including large outbreaks in 2009, 2010, and 2013. Smaller outbreaks occurred in 2014 and 2015.
This year's enterovirus epidemic has been atypical. Unlike previous years, it did not subside during the summer vacation and has remained relatively high since the start of the school year.
The CDC anticipates the epidemic to end around mid-November. If cases do not decline or remain stagnant next week, the agency may reassess and delay the projected end date.
A total of 331 classes were affected by school closures from Sept. 29 to Oct. 5 due to enterovirus. This marked the highest number since the summer vacation and the highest for that period in five years.
The figure is lower than the peak of 399 classes affected in early May. Among the affected classes, 247 were from kindergartens, 28 from elementary schools, and 56 from other institutions such as daycare centers.