KMU OGA Info No. 105134

Announcement Date on August 8, 2016

Notification referring from Ministry of Education pertaining to Protection against Zika Virus Infection 

Topic: This notification is referred from MoE pertaining to outbreaks of Zika virus infection.  There is an urgent need to advocate health care to all the faculty members, staff and students and ensure the lists of staff abroad and visiting persons from overseas countries in good health condition.  Meanwhile, please keep environments dry and clean to exterminate the vector mosquitos.  

Contents: 

1. Press on August 29, 2016 suggests that according to statistics by Centers for Disease Control, it suggests, there were 41 patients diagnosed with  Zika Virus Infection in Singapore.  Centers for Disease Control(CDC) has marked Singapore as Travel Alert area in traveling recommendations. According to World Health Organization (WHO)'s announcement on August 25, there were at least 67 countries were reported local Zika infection cases and most of which were found in Central, South America and the Caribbean. CDC also marked Travel Alert for traveling recommendations in the 5 countries including Thailand, Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, and Singapore.

2. Zika is not dangerous for most people. However, Zika causes severe birth defects. One birth defect linked to Zika is a smaller than normal head for the new born. This condition is called “microcephaly.” The Zika infection would also lead to death of the babies. 

   2.1 Hygiene Promotion: If you’re pregnant or trying to become pregnant, do not travel to a Zika-affected area. If you just left the Zika-affected area, please follow the protection practice of 2226 as follows: postpone your plan for pregnancy for two months, avoid sexual intercourse or wear condum in two months. If you have symptoms similar with those infected with Zika, you need to avoid sexual intercourse in six months or wearing condom in sex. When traveling to Zika infected areas or countries, on returning to Taiwan, you need to notify the quarantine officials at the airport on arrival.  If you feel uncomfortable with the symptoms in two weeks since your returning, you need to consult your doctor and inform him/her your traveling areas.  

   2.2 All the inland infected cases were reported to be infected from overseas countries. Please monitor the health condition of all the students and faculty traveling to and fro in Central, South America and the Caribbean. Diagnosed cases should follow the Surveillance system to have the cases reported to the central government. 

   2.3 Elimination of the vector mosquitos: transmission of Zika infection disease is the same as Dengue Fever.  Do follow the tips of prevention: look around for any buckets or pails with stagnant water; turn over the buckets or pails with excess water; cleaning up the containers with stagnant water; brush the containers constantly to elimniate the mosquito breeding sources.  

3. For further information with regard to Zika Infection Disease in Chinese version, please refer to http://www.cdc.gov.tw/. 

Dean, Professor Hsiu-Hung Wang

Director, Professor Fang Rong Chang 

Coordinator Aerin Huang (ext.: 2383-13)