Premier Mao Chi-kuo says that the government should include the prevention of dengue fever in its annual work plan. Mao was speaking Friday at a conference on dengue fever held by the Central Epidemic Command Center.
Mao said that the government should consider the risk of a dengue fever outbreak when making future plans.
"The work of dengue fever prevention should be included in our future annual work plans. We also think that global factors like climate change should be considered," said Mao, "We have to prepare for the worst to prevent the risk of an epidemic outbreak. Both central and local governments should start preparation and prevention work early every year.”
Mao said that this year the southern city of Tainan has experienced the most severe wave of dengue fever on record, something he ascribed to climate change. But he said that the establishment of a Central Disease Prevention Command Center in September has brought the daily number of new cases down from around 700 to less than 20.
Mao said that over 90 percent of fatal cases this year were in people over 60 years of age. 95 percent had chronic diseases. Mao said the government should, therefore, improve measures to prevent the spread of disease among the elderly.