Two new deaths caused by influenza-related complications in Taiwan

[tetano]

On January 10, 2012, the Taiwan Centers for Disease Control (Taiwan CDC) announced two new deaths caused by influenza-related complications in Taiwan. They respectively were a 58-year-old female and a 71-year-old female who resided in New Taipei City (formerly known as Taipei County). Both did not receive the influenza vaccine and had a chronic medical condition of diabetes. After becoming infected with influenza, both cases died from pneumonia-associated septic shock and multiple organ failure. They were both infected with influenza type B virus. To decrease risk of influenza-related complications, the Department of Health (DOH) urges the public to rest at home and avoid visiting public places when sick with influenza, especially people at high risk of developing influenza-related complications such as infants, young children, elderly and people with chronic diseases. If symptoms such as shortness of breath, breathing difficulty, cyanosis, blood-stained mucus or thickening of mucus, chest pain, change of consciousness, and low blood pressure or high fever that persists for more than 48 hours develop, please seek appropriate medical advice at a hospital immediately to facilitate prompt administration of treatment. To timely provide the influenza antiviral drugs to target individuals and prevent the occurrence of complications and deaths, local health bureaus have been actively designating locations to dispatch antiviral drugs. As of now, a total of 2,203 locations have been designated to dispatch the drug in the nation, which is about 1000 more than that in December last year.

http://www.cdc.gov.tw/ct.asp?xItem=36957&ctNode=960&mp=5