讀後心得

The Centers for Disease Control announced the second case of severe viral enterovirus-related death this year, involving a newborn baby boy from the northern region. The baby was hospitalized in mid-February due to breathing difficulties and exhibited multiple symptoms of sepsis in mid-March. Unfortunately, he passed away on March 17, with tests confirming an infection of Enterovirus type 11. To date, no cases of infection have been found among household and medical contacts, and the source of infection remains to be clarified. The CDC urges pregnant women and caregivers to strengthen personal hygiene and pay special attention to the health of infants and young children. Additionally, although the recent enterovirus epidemic is fluctuating at a low point, monitoring shows that Enterovirus and Coxsackie B virus pose a greater threat to newborns. It is recommended to avoid contact with infected individuals, maintain hygiene, and seek medical attention early to prevent severe illness.

The CDC announced the second case of death from severe complications due to enterovirus infection this year. The victim was a newborn boy (premature infant) who was under one month old from the northern region. The infant was admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit in mid-February due to respiratory distress, and later in mid-March, he exhibited symptoms of sepsis such as low blood oxygen, bradycardia, hepatitis, and thrombocytopenia, ultimately unfortunately passing away on March 17. Tests confirmed the presence of enterovirus "Echovirus 11." Currently, family contacts and healthcare personnel and patients in the same ward during the hospitalization have not been infected, and the source of infection is yet to be clarified. The CDC urges expectant mothers and caregivers to enhance personal hygiene and closely monitor the health of infants and toddlers, while healthcare and postpartum care institutions should implement infection control measures.

Prevent enteroviruses in newborns! Echovirus and Coxsackie B viruses pose significant threats. According to monitoring data from the CDC, recent enterovirus outbreaks have been stable and fluctuating, but there are still reports of severe cases of enterovirus infections. Recent laboratory surveillance has found that Coxsackie A16 is the predominant type of enterovirus, followed by Coxsackie A6 and Echovirus 11, as well as other types of enteroviruses. Based on past year outbreak data, enterovirus outbreaks typically begin to rise gradually from March to April, so close attention will be paid to the changes in the outbreak. So far this year, three cases of severe enterovirus infections have been confirmed (including two deaths), all of which involved Echovirus 11, two of which were newborns under one month old.

The CDC pointed out that Echovirus or Coxsackie B virus is the main type of enterovirus that causes severe conditions and death in newborns. To prevent enterovirus in newborns, pregnant women, newborns, toddlers, and their caregivers should avoid contact with patients and pay special attention to personal hygiene and the health of infants and toddlers. The CDC reminds expectant mothers to maintain hand and respiratory hygiene during pregnancy and before and after delivery, reduce exposure to crowded and poorly ventilated places, avoid contact with patients, and pay attention to their own health. If symptoms such as fever, upper respiratory infections, diarrhea, and rib pain occur within 14 days before childbirth, they should inform their physician and take appropriate isolation measures for infants and toddlers.

If enterovirus infections in newborns are not handled promptly, they may lead to severe conditions. If symptoms such as drowsiness and convulsions arise, immediate medical attention should be sought. Because adults infected with the enterovirus often have mild symptoms, they may unknowingly transmit it to infants and toddlers. Therefore, families with infants and toddlers should strengthen personal hygiene, change clothes after returning home from outings, and thoroughly wash hands before holding or feeding infants. They should avoid contact with infants if they exhibit symptoms of infection.

The CDC emphasizes that newborns infected early may exhibit symptoms such as fever, decreased vitality, and poor appetite. If not treated promptly, they may develop severe conditions such as myocarditis, hepatitis, encephalitis, thrombocytopenia, and multiple organ failure. Parents should be alert to early warning signs of severe enterovirus infections, such as drowsiness, confusion, poor vitality, limb weakness or paralysis, muscle convulsions, and should promptly seek medical care to seize the opportunity for treatment.

There are also the latest updates on the flu outbreak. Recently, the number of visits to the emergency and outpatient departments for influenza-like illness was approximately 111,000, about the same as the previous week. At the same time, there were 24 new cases of severe influenza complications, including 11 deaths, with the newly added cases and deaths being primarily linked to infections of the A-type H1N1 virus. Laboratory monitoring data show that among the respiratory pathogens currently circulating in the community, influenza virus (A-type H1N1) is predominant. Although the proportion of influenza has decreased, comprehensive assessment of monitoring data indicates that the influenza outbreak has been judged to be out of the epidemic phase.

Therefore, as the influenza-like outbreak subsides, the conditions for using publicly funded antiviral medications for influenza will be adjusted. The current conditions of "having influenza-like symptoms, and having family members/colleagues/classmates with influenza-like patients" will end on March 31, and starting in April, they will only apply to reported cases of severe influenza complications and high-risk chronic disease patients for influenza.