Premier Mao Chi-kuo has called on the health ministry and the Environmental Protection Administration to develop a strategy for fighting the ongoing outbreak of dengue fever.
Mao was speaking during a Cabinet meeting on Thursday. Mao said that this year’s outbreak has been more serious than other outbreaks in recent years.
He called on health authorities to expand assistance to local governments in affected areas. He also asked health officials to develop a plan for local governments to follow at a meeting scheduled for Friday.
Mao asked the government budget office to approve a health ministry request for NT$30 million (US$900,000) in funding to help contain the outbreak in Tainan.
At a press conference held after Thursday’s Cabinet meeting, Health Minister Chiang Been-huang said that warm, rainy weather like that seen over the past few days has contributed to the growth of mosquito larvae.
He said he hopes that government plans will bring the outbreak under control within a few weeks. Chiang said that the outbreak is likely to continue to the end of the year.